Turles's Triumph
by daughterofrisingsun
Summary: The "Tree Of Might" story has a very different ending...
1. The Nightmare Begins

A/N: This is something a little different than the usual "Tree Of Might" concept I hope you'll enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters. Akira Toriyama does!

…..

Krillin sighed as he looked off into the distance, there was still no sign of Gohan. The bald former monk had planned to camp in the forest of Mount Pazu along with Bulma, Oolong and Gohan. But what was keeping Gohan? Had ChiChi changed her mind about allowing Gohan to join them?

Oolong tried to get a fire going beneath an enormous pot. He leaned in too close as the flames ignited and promptly singed his nose. Krillen and Bulma burst into laughter at the sight of his soot covered nose.

At that very moment Gohan arrived, " Hey! Sorry I'm late..."

" Mmmm! What's that delicious smell? " Gohan asked eagerly. " It smells just like Mom's kitchen in the morning!"

The pig swallowed hard and turned ashen. Oolong muttered under his breath as he became the target for Bulma and Krillen's laughter once more. He decided to direct attention to the enormous backpack Gohan carried.

" What was your mother _thinking_ when she sent you out with _that_ thing?" Oolong gasped as he pointed to the monstrous backpack.

" That _is_ SOME backpack, Gohan " Bulma mused.

" Uh, Mom packed it for me" the son of Goku explained.

" That figures!" Krillen sighed.

Bulma, Krillen and Oolong held their sides as they laughed and teased a sheepish-looking Gohan about the contents of his over-sized backpack. It seemed as if the half-Saiyan child would _never_ stop pulling out items.

" Not only does he look like he's going on safari but he brought everything with him but the kitchen sink!" Oolong guffawed.

" Just how LONG did ChiChi think you were going to be out here?" Bulma questioned as she tried not to snicker.

" You could keep an expedition fed with all that food!" Krillen declared as Gohan pulled stacks of canned goods and even MORE items out of his backpack.

...

A probe sent from Turles's ship crashed into the Earth causing an explosion. The spider-like craft scuttled away but left flames in its'wake that rapidly spread to the forest where Bulma, Krillen, Oolong and Gohan were camping...

...

Krillen awoke to the sound of terrified forest creatures and the smell of smoke. Stepping out of his tent, he saw that the forest was ablaze. He quickly roused the others. At Krillen's suggestion, he and Gohan set out to blow away the inferno using power blasts.

Great trees began to fall to the ground. Gohan had to lift up a fallen tree to free a small purple dragon pinned beneath it. Soon the roaring fire was extinguished but sheer devastation was left behind by the flames. The beautiful forest was reduced to nothing but scorched tree trunks. Helpless denizens of the forest milled about unsure of what to do or where to go.

"All these poor animals have lost their home! We have to do something!" Gohan exclaimed.

"I know! Bulma, you have the Dragon Radar, let's use the Dragon Balls and wish back the forest!" Krillen shouted.

"Yeah!" Gohan agreed excitedly.

...

The sky darkened and the great dragon Shenron appeared and promised to grant the group of friends a single wish. Gohan had to stop the small dragon he had rescued from attacking Shenron. The small creature wouldn't have stood a chance against the great dragon.

In no time at all the forest was restored to its' former beauty. With their campsite and supplies ruined, Bulma, Krillen, Oolong and Gohan decided to cancel their camping adventure.

...

Turles's probe sent back information and visuals to his dark-skinned Saiyan stared at the screen in disbelief. Instead of a bare lifeless sphere, the planet Earth was a thing of beauty and was absolutely teaming with life.

_'What became of you, Kakarot? Why didn't you complete your mission?_ " Turles wondered.

"What are your orders, Master Turles?" the huge orange skinned being that piloted the Saiyan's ship questioned.

"It seems Kakarot has failed to carry out his duty to purge this world. This planet will be perfect to plant the seed of the Tree of Might. We'll harvest the fruit and the Tree will fulfill Kakarot's mission. It's the least we can do since he left the planet for our use" Turles declared.

The laughter of the two pirates echoed through the ship.

...

Gohan sighed with disappointment. Not only had he lost the competition with his father over who could their breath the longest in their outdoor tub. But he'd had to endure a thorough scolding from his mother because the little purple dragon he rescued had followed him home. The sight of the creature had terrified ChiChi. His furious mother had demanded that Gohan take the beast back to the mountain.

...

Turles stayed behind in his ship as the Crusher Corps team walked out on the Earth to plant the Tree whose voracious roots sucked out the very life-giving energy of the unfortunate worlds it was planted upon. The pirate commander examined his charts to decide which hapless planet would be the next victim of the Tree of Might.

...

Amond, the massive orange -skinned pirate gave a great cry as he sent a powerful blast into the Earth. The resulting explosion created a great chasm.

An evil smile crossed the face of the long green-haired Daiz as he tossed a seed from the Tree of Might into the chasm. Each of the team expressed their hopes that the Tree would sprout and quickly bear fruit.

...

Gohan played with his new friend, Icarus the dragon until ChiChi called him in for supper.

...

As Yamcha bragged about his expensive car to Puar, he felt an ominous power. Suddenly the pair were knocked from the sky by the force of the explosion caused by Turles's second -in -command. The scar-faced former bandit could only groan in despair over his costly ruined plane.

Far away, Piccolo also noticed a power that brought a sense of pure evil.

...

The seed from the Tree Of Might sprouted almost immediately. It's monstrous roots tore through the forest uprooting trees and frightening the animals. Even a nearby city suffered devastation as the roots continued their ravage of the planet. Soon the enormous Tree stood high above the ruined forest. The other trees were left as nothing but lifeless husks.

"Soon the Tree will bear fruit" Amond chuckled.

"After we eat the fruit, we'll be invincible!" Rasin and Lakasei declared.

The bulbous-headed purple Beenz brothers were delighted with the prospect of gaining power from the fruit once more. Daiz wholeheartedly agreed. Cacoa, the cyborg added his assent.

...

At the Son home, Goku, Bulma, Oolong, Master Roshi and Gohan listened as Yamcha bemoaned his misfortune with his expensive plane. Tien and Chiaotzu were also rapt with attention to his tale of woe. Chichi just shook her head as she served tea to each of their guests.

Bulma leapt up from her seat in absolute fury " You bought that flashy car to catch the eye of some girl! DIDN'T YOU?"

"N-n-no! Of course not!" Yamcha protested.

"Did you even THINK before you bought that EXPENSIVE CONTRAPTION?" Bulma screeched.

Master Roshi was thoroughly enjoying the show. Tien and Chiatzou merely gave each other knowing looks. Bulma and Yamcha's spats were legendary.

There was a sudden tap on the window, ChiChi was livid when she saw the small purple dragon trying to get Gohan's attention.

"Didn't I tell you to get rid of that thing?" ChiChi fumed.

" Actually ChiChi..." Goku began.

" OOOHHH! I should have known! You two went behind my back! GET RID OF HIM NOW, GOHAN!" ChiChi ordered.

Gohan went out and shooed away the protesting little dragon away.

"Maybe something's wrong. He was acting kinda strange" Goku observed.

"Nonsense! He just wanted to play and distract Gohan from his studies" ChiChi insisted.

...

A voice suddenly called out to Goku.

"King Kai?" Gou said in surprise.

"Goku, Something horrible has happened to the planet Earth. A monstrous plant known as the Tree of Might has been planted on Earth. When it bears fruit it will drain all the energy from the planet and reduce it to one huge lifeless desert. I'm afraid it's already too late for the Earth" King Kai sadly informed him.

"No! I can't just give up!" Goku protested.

Goku quickly explained the situation to those seated at the table. All of the Z fighters agreed that they would combine their powers to destroy the Tree. Gohan tried to join them.

"YOU ARE STAYING RIGHT HERE, GOHAN!" ChiChi demanded.

Gohan watched sadly as his father and friends went to blow away the Tree.

...

"What good did it do to wish the forest back?" Krillen groaned when he saw the forest's lifeless trees.

As a group, Goku, Yamcha, Krillen , Tien and Chiatzou fired their ki blasts at the Tree. When the smoke cleared, they were stunned to discover there was no damage to the Tree whatsoever.

Harsh laughter rang out from the top of the Tree. Goku floated to the top of the tree followed by the others.

"You CAN'T destroy the Tree Of Might!" Amond declared confidently.

"Get in our way and you'll end up dead!" Diaz chuckled.

Soon the battle was on. Cacoa quickly brought Yamcha to the ground and the combined form of the Beenz brothers took down stepped into his small friend's place.

Krillen took on Amond and Daiz chose to fight Goku.

...

Gohan had went to the cave to play with Icarus. The little purple dragon was nowhere to be found.

"Maybe he got mad at me for shooing him away" Gohan sighed. Suddenly Icarus was right before him. The dragon seemed frantic to show Gohan something. Gohan climbed on the little dragon's back.

"Show me what it is , Boy!" Gohan exclaimed.

Gohan was taken to the site where the battle raged on between the Z fighters and the Crusher Corps. He leapt from Icarus's back to join in the fray. After bringing down Tien, the Beenz brothers attacked Gohan.

...

Turles watched Gohan on his ship's visual screen with great interest.

"Could it be?...Yes! Yes! The brat is a Saiyan!"

The commander of the Crusher Corps face lit up with a cruel smile. He had plans for the boy.

...

Gohan bravely defeated the Beenz brothers but he cringed with horror as he looked about. Krillen, Yamcha, Tien and even Chiatzou were lying lifeless on the ground.

"NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!" Gohan screeched in horror.

Tears filling his eyes, the half-Saiyan backed into someone standing behind him.

"Dad?" Gohan asked in confusion as he looked up at what seemed to be a mirror image of his father.

But why would his father be wearing silver and black Saiyan armor?

"You're not my dad!' Gohan exclaimed.

"I am Turles. You must be Kakarot's brat. Come with me. I can teach you to live as a true Saiyan."

"I'm not going ANYWHERE with YOU!" Gohan snarled.

"You don't really have a choice!" Turles smirked as he snatched Gohan up.

Gohan sighed with relief as Piccolo suddenly appeared. But his relief quickly turned to horror as Turles blasted the Namek. The demi-Saiyan gave a piteous cry as he realized Piccolo had also been slain.

"Let go of my Gohan!" Goku roared. He had disposed of the Crusher Corps and he planned to rescue his son.

Turles threw a power ball up into the sky and forced Gohan to stare at the shimmering ball of light.

"NO! DON'T LOOK GOHAN!" Goku cried out.

Poor Gohan was completely helpless as his eyes were held open against his will by the cruel pirate. His eyes grew red, fur sprouted ...

...

Gohan awoke feeling strange. He flushed with embarrassment as he realized he wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing. A strange garment and a set of Saiyan-like armor were thrown by his feet.

"Put those on and be quick about it!" the imposing figure of Turles demanded.

The son of Goku looked around frantically " DAD! DAD, WHERE ARE YOU?"

Turles sighed, "Ah, Yes! You don't remember what happened after your transformation."

"W-what a-are y-you talking about?" Gohan stammered.

His eyes followed Turles's outstretched hand. He gasped in horror at the sight. An indistinguishable bloody mass lay on the ground but there was no mistaking the blood-soaked orange gi with his father's insignia.

"SO kind of you to get rid of your father for us during your time as an oozaru. He was quite the pest!" Turles said casually.

"No I DIDN'T! I WOULDN'T!" Gohan choked.

"No?" Turles smirked "Look under your feet, boy!"

The trembling Gohan lifted up his left foot and blanched in absolute disgust. His foot was stained red with bits of sticky black spiky hair with chunks of flesh attached. His stomach threatened to heave.

"Tough break, kid " the wounded Diaz said. He was the only surviving member of the Crusher Corps.

"I'll give you a choice, brat. You can come with us or stay here and die!" Turles announced.

"NNNOOOOOOOOOO!" Gohan screamed...

...

ChiChi leapt out of the bed she shared with Goku "I'll bet that dragon's back and he's trying to eat Gohan!"

"Aw,C'mon! ChiChi!" Goku sighed.

They both hurried to Gohan's room. He was sitting up in his bed, tears rolling down his little face.

"Oh! My poor baby!" ChiChi exclaimed.

"Look's like someone had a bad dream!" Goku mused

"You're alive! Turles didn't win!...

Goku hugged his son tightly "Turles will _never_ hurt anyone again, Gohan."

...

Gohan stretched and smiled as he chased the sleep from his eyes. What a nightmare he had endured! He lazily sniffed the air for the scent of his mother's cooking and his face froze in horror as he realized he _wasn't_ in his room at home. Stars whizzed by in a small window on the far wall.

The scowling figure of Daiz appeared in the room " It's about _time_ you got up! Better get moving! The commander won't appreciate you sleepin' in!"

A tear ran down Gohan's face as he realized that the nightmare had been reality. He had only dreamt about his parents still being alive. But Gohan's nightmare was only beginning….


	2. The Start Of A New Life

Here's chapter two! Thanks to Ryo-chan wolfgirl,Tomaka167, Chimera prime and Laania for all the reviews on Chapter one.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

...

Gohan pulled himself out of the crude bunk and fought to quell the wave of nausea that threatened as his tortured mind rehashed the events of the night before.

Daiz threw a deep blue colored garment to him " Step out into the hall there'a shower in the first room on the right. When you are finished getting cleaned up, put on the armor you were given and report to the front of the ship. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" Gohan choked out.

Daiz smirked at his reply and almost turned to leave. He faced the son of Goku and spoke again "When it comes to Turles, don't speak unless YOU are spoken to. You will address him as Master Turles or Commander Turles. The least you may address him by will be commander. Got it, kid?"

"Yes, Sir!" Gohan affirmed.

"Good. Now hurry up,Brat! We'll be landing soon" Daiz informed him as he left the room.

_Landing?_ The little half-Saiyan felt his stomach clench at the thought. _Where_ were they taking him? It wasn't back to his home that was for sure. His home no longer existed.

Gohan stepped into a large metallic room with what appeared to be several showerheads on the wall to his left. On the right was a seating area and a waste disposal unit. A stack of rather plush looking towels lay on a shelf just a few feet from the shower.

It didn't take more then a moment to figure out the simple controls for turning on the water and regulating the temperature. Gohan allowed for a brief shedding of tears for his lost home and family as the warm water cascaded from his hair. Reaching for a towel, he dried himself and dressed quickly.

...

Daiz sighed at the silence of the ship's main room. Amond's low timbered voice no longer gave reports to Turles at hourly intervals. The former Kabochan prince stared at the empty seats left behind by his fallen comrades. Lakasei and Rasin's noisy arguments had annoyed him but he would actually be glad to hear the Beenz brothers' noisy tirade instead of the empty silence.

"i suppose our " guest" is preparing for the landing on Daznicos?" Turles's voice questioned.

"Yes, Master Turles" Daiz answered.

With a curt nod, Turles turned back to the charts he was observing.

Gohan nervously entered the room wondering what was going to be expected of him. Just then the ship gave a sudden lurch and though unfamiliar with the craft , the youngster knew the ship had landed.

"Come here, Brat!" Turles ordered.

"Y-Yes, M-master Turles?"

Turles chuckled at the boy's reply. He was obviously frightened but the brat did address him with the proper respect.

"I have business to attend to on planet Daznicos. You will go with Daiz and obey his orders. I will only warn you once not to attempt to escape. I'll not tolerate disobedience and you won't survive the punishment for the attempt. Is that understood?" the pirate commander demanded.

"Yes, M-m..Commander Turles!" was his answer.

"Good. Don't snivel, boy. You're a Saiyan, remember that " Turles advised.

"Daiz, Take the brat and get him two more sets of armor, some proper fitting clothing and..." the dark-skinned Saiyan began.

His instructions were interuppted by a loud growl from Gohan's stomach as it protested the lack of nourishment since the night before. Gohan's face flushed red with embarrassment as Daiz snickered.

"And _do _get the brat something to eat" Turles added with a smirk as he walked to the entrance of the ship and left the two alone.

"You heard the commander. Let's get going, kid!" Diaz sighed.

...

Gohan stared at the bustling crowds at the Zadezkon Market on planet Daznicos. He'd never seen so many people in one place!

"We'll stop here first, kid!" Daiz announced as they approached a beautiful building made of brilliantly polished Aleska wood. A blue tiled roof accented the deep red of the wooden structure. It was a restaurant of some sort the half-Saiyan realized.

Delicious scents wafted through the air causing a noisy reaction from Gohan's empty stomach. The Crusher Corps member ignored the boy's complaining belly as he opened the heavy brass door and stepped into the establishment.

Gohan gasped at the sheer elegance of the place. A luxurious royal blue carpet accented the pale pink marble that composed the floor. Cushioned chairs of rare woods sat at tables carved from single Ganis trees. Pristine white cloths covered the tables that were set with golden utensils and crimson plates emblazoned with a gold dragon design.

The few times ChiChi allowed an outing to a restaurant, they were cheaply priced fast food joints as she simply couldn't afford the appetites of two Saiyan males anywhere else. He felt guilty about even considering eating after the hellish events of the night before but hunger was quickly winning over guilt.

A red-skinned reptile in a royal blue robe quickly escorted the unlikely pair to one of the exquistely appointed tables. Gohan was too busy gawking at the place to pay attention to what Daiz ordered. The son of Goku's jaw dropped as a cart laden with food was wheeled to their table. There were plates piled high with roasted meats, great bowls of rice dishes, sucuclent fruits and savory vegetables and sweet cakes were stacked on several large platters.

The former Kabochan prince chuckled as he noticed that the youngster's mouth began to water as he stared in amazement at smorgasbord before him.

" Well let's eat, Brat!" Diaz urged. Gohan didn't have to be told twice.

...

Gohan had several bags of what Diaz considered proper clothing slung across his shoulder. The dark-green haired pirate was examining a pair of boots when a purple rodent -like creature walked up to them.

"Those are made of Talasium lizard hide. Dreadfully exspensive! I'm sure _YOU_ will want to go _elsewhere_ to afford..." the rodent being started.

Daiz seized the haughty lifeform by its' throat " I can AFFORD to _buy_ this dump and toss YOU out of it!"

"A-a -a th-thousand pardons , sir! I-I meant no offense!" the rodent whined.

"Get two pair that will fit the boy. NOW!" the furious black and green armored warrior demanded.

Gohan couldn't help but giggle as the terrified merchant hastened to obey.

"Gotta keep those snobs in line!" Daiz growled.

...

Daiz and Gohan soon ran into Turles who was making several purchases of his own. Gohan sighed if it hadn't been for the horrible night before, this "outing" would almost be considered fun. He noticed a thick red book lying on a shelf in the shop where Turles was currently walking about. When he picked up the book and leafed through it,stories of hundreds of planets filled the table of contents. The volume's cover was rich crimson leather with gilt pages and lavish illustrations.

"You make a habit of reading, Brat?" Turles's voice rang out startling the boy.

" Yes, Master Turles. My mother made sure I read every day for my studies but I l-like reading too" Gohan fought to keep his voice from trembling.

Gohan sighed as the Saiyan snatched the book away from him and walked away. He guessed that Turles didn't want him to be reading.

" Let's go, Brat!" Daiz called out.

No sooner had they stepped out of the shop then a slim attractive female rushed up to Turles who was just behind them.

"How _long_ have you been here? You _WEREN'T_ going to leave without stopping by _were you_?" a young raven- tressed pale complexioned female huffed. She wore her long hair piled on top of her head and an almost sheer green gown that stopped at her knees.

"I might have considered it, Kerlia" Turles teased.

"You're horrible!" the female complained. Her green eyes showed annoyance.

"That's not what you said the last night I was here" the Saiyan male taunted.

Kerlia noticed the young boy that stood next Daiz "Oh! He's adorable! "

The woman ruffled Gohan's hair and then turned to the Saiyan male with her eyes blazing " ALL RIGHT! WHO IS SHE?"

"Who _are_ you going on about?" Turles smirked.

"HIS mother! I _know_ he's yours' , look at THAT TAIL!" Kerlia screeched.

The pirate commander burst into laughter " Calm down, Kerlia! We picked the boy up on the way here. I have no brats and you should be well aware of that!"

Kerlia suddenly appeared apologetic as she wrapped her arms around the Saiyan's muscular shoulders " Sorry, I couldn't help but be jealous if some other woman was to catch your eye. You _will_ come see me before you leave?"

"I suppose I _could_ squeeze you in _somewhere_ in my busy schedule" the dark-skinned Saiyan sighed.

"Later!" Kerlia said brightly and she blew a kiss to the Saiyan as she left. Turles merely rolled his eyes.

" What happens when she finds out about Tazinora, Commander?" Daiz snickered.

" Don't forget Anglis" the Saiyan male smirked " I imagine things will be quite interesting around here if they find out about each other."

Daiz and Turles walked away expressing their amusement at the situation leaving a confused Gohan to follow after them.

...

Gohan sat in absolute awe of the place Turles chose for them to consume their noon meal. The place where he and Daiz had dined paled by comparison. Sheets of mother of pearl composed the walls and gold tiles made in the pattern of a scallop shell covered the floor. At intervals in the walls, there was a display of great tanks holding fantastic denizens of ocean creatures from several planets.

The table and chairs they sat in were made of pure glistening crystal. A silk seafoam colored tablecloth covered the table set with beautiful plates decorated with engraved sea creatures and finely wrought silver utensils.

Turles ordered for Gohan and the six-year-old dug into his meal with gusto. The crispy golden fish and assorted seafood on his plate was pure heaven to his palate. A delectable fruit juice of some sort filled the glass next to his plate, Turles did not allow him to have any of the wine that the two pirates were having no trouble consuming by the bottle.

Turles left his seat for a moment to speak with someone at another table. Gohan chose that moment to question Daiz.

" Do you _always _eat like this? Sir!" he quickly added.

Daiz laughed softly " Call me Daiz, Brat. And yes, when you're in Turles's company only the_ finest_ food and wine will do."

...

Gohan sat silently aboard Turles's ship wishing he had something to do besides relive his horrible memories. To his utter amazement, Turles walked over and dropped the book he had admired in the shop earlier that day next to him. The startled boy jumped as the book struck the floor.

" Pay more attention to your surroundings, Brat!" Turles snapped.

Turles turned his own attention to Daiz.

" Daiz, It will be quite late when I return. A little _schedule planning_ is in order" the Saiyan announced with a leer.

Daiz snickered " Yes, Master Turles."

"I don't expect you awake when I return, Brat" the pirate commander advised.

"Yes, Master Turles!" Gohan spoke up quickly.

Daiz turned to Gohan when Turles departed and pointed to the book in the half-Saiyan's hands.

"You've certainly made an impression, Brat!"

"What do you mean, Daiz?" Gohan asked.

"Turles must see something in you. He wouldn't have bought that book without a purpose for it" the green-haired pirate mused.

"M-maybe he was just being _nice_" Gohan suggeted hopefully.

That caused a roar of laughter from Daiz "_Turles?_ Turles being _nice_? That's rich. kid!"

...

Daiz heard a soft sobbing and sighed as he realized it must be the brat. All the excitement of the day must have kept his mind from dwelling on his horrible loss.

Gohan tried to choke back his sobs as Daiz appeared in the room he had been assigned to. The former Kabochan prince looked down at the miserable child, it seemed as if as if there was just a flicker of pity in the space pirate's eyes.

"You'd best be quiet when Master Turles returns. But for now get it out. All that grief and sorrow you've got buried inside. Cry and scream all you want, I'll be in the shower so I won't hear you. And after you can't shed another tear. You put it behind you and move on. Do what you have to to survive" Daiz advised." I know what it's like to be the only survivor of your home planet."

"D-Daiz, Why are YOU with Turles?" Gohan asked.

"That's a LONG story , Brat!" Daiz muttered.

"I'm not going anywhere!" the little half-Saiyan sighed.

Daiz sat at the foot of the bed. He could just imagine the reactions from his former crewmates if they saw him now. The fierce Daiz telling a story! To a Saiyan brat! He could almost hear the laughter ringing in his ears.

"Kabocha was once a desert planet of fierce warriors..."

...

Chapter three will tell the story of Daiz. My version, of course. Don't just READ! REVIEW PLEASE!


	3. Daiz's Story

Here's chapter 3! Thanks to Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Chimera prime, Laania and Animeartsisters for all the reviews on chapter 2.

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or any of its' characters. Akira Toriyama does!

...

Daiz sighed as he thought about a world that hadn't entered his thoughts for years. The desert world of Kabocha, his homeworld. A place where he had never truly belonged. But he had promised the little half-Saiyan that he would tell him of how he ended up serving Turles. The former prince of Kabocha always kept his word.

"Well, brat. Kabocha was once the home of fierce desert warriors. The warrior-kings of Kabocha were known throughout the galaxy as worthy adversaries but times changed and many of the old traditions were no longer kept. Training for war was no longer seen as necessary. Years of peacetime made the future kings lazy and unwilling to be forged into the living weapons their ancestors once were..."

"Prince Daiz! Prince Daiz! Your Highness, please stop ignoring me. I know you can hear me! Your father wishes to see you immediately!" the elderly servant called out.

He was addressing a young dark green- haired youth whose hair was styled in the tradition of male Kabochan royalty. Close cropped on the top and a long ponytail in the back. The silver earrings that brushed his shoulders identified him as a prince. He wore a short tan leather tunic and black knee-high boots.

Prince Daiz scowled as he stopped sparring with another young man "Are you sure he wishes to see _me_, Kashios? Can he actually spend a moment with _me_ and **not** my dear brother?"

The wizened old servant tugged at his shaggy white beard and sighed " I'm well aware of the favor your father has for your brother, Your Highness. But he IS calling for you and his time grows short. Do make your peace with him while you can."

...

Prince Daiz walked into the richly appointed bedroom of his father, King Arnaiz. The walls were decorated with thousands of tiny tiles that made colorful mosaics illustrating past Kabochan royalty. Heavy drapes of crimson velvet kept out the blazing sun of the desert planet. Polished gray and cream marble composed the floors that were accented with rare Halosean carpets.

The frail body of the aged king lay in a great golden bed. A crimson spread was tucked around him up to his chin. An exasperated sigh came from the monarch as he took in the sight of his youngest son.

"Just look at you! You're a prince of Kabocha, _a member of the legendary Pukinpa Dynasty_! But you're reeking of sweat and dressed as a common soldier! _And where is your crown_?"

"I was told to come immediately,Father. I wasn't aware that I was to be perfumed and in royal garb" Diaz huffed.

"Insolent pup! You will speak to me with respect, I'm still King of Kabocha!" his sire growled.

"See, Father? I AM the proper choice to rule in your stead" whined a high-pitched male voice.

The voice belonged to Prince Gazaiz, older brother to Daiz at least on his father's side. Daiz was tall and muscular while Gazaiz was short statured and beginning to put some considerable girth around his waistline. The elder prince wore resplendent robes of crimson and gold. A heavy gold crown encrusted with rubies designated him as the Crown Prince.

"Father, Daiz has no sense of royal bearing and protocol. He spends all his time hunting or brawling with commoners. We'd be the laughingstock of the Three Sectors if he were to assume the throne" Gazaiz sniffed.

"Have you forgotten the warrior-kings of Kabocha? It would do _YOU_ some good to get a workout in now and then. Perhaps you'd even be able to see your toes once more!" Daiz snorted.

"Don't _YOU_ forget that your brother is the future king. You will address him with the proper respect" King Arnaiz declared.

The aged ruler shook his head as he looked over his two sons. Both wore their dark-green hair in the tradition of young Kabochan royals and had the light skin typical of their race. But the similarities ended there, Prince Gazaiz was three feet shorter than his younger sibling and not nearly as powerfully built. The elder prince preferred activities in the royal court rather than hunting or anything to do with his planet's military force.

And why should he be concerned with the army? Kabochan had enjoyed a reign of peace for some sixty years now. They had made no enemies there was no reason to expect things to change.

Prince Daiz was tall, well-muscled and strong. His mother had been Queen Armala, once a warrior princess of planet Targia. No doubt, Daiz had inherited his mother's fighting spirit. The young queen had been killed in a hunting accident when Daiz was still but a child. King Arnaiz had thought her deserving of her fate for going after a Konoza-bear but did not reveal his thoughts to the grieving three-year-old prince.

Gazaiz had not gotten along well with Daiz's mother, she was the complete opposite of his mother. Queen Narquisza was the epitome of royal grace and elegance, she wouldn't have so much as dreamt of sparring or hunting. A strange virus had taken the life of the queen when Gazaiz was five years of age.

As much as the king hated to admit it, his favored son could stand to push himself away from the royal table a bit. One couldn't miss the obvious bulge in Gazaiz's middle and his chin was beginning to sag. Young women adored Daiz but openly showed their distaste for the elder prince.

"Gazaiz,my son. Upon assuming the throne, you must immediately began the search for a suitable queen. There must be an heir as soon as possible to be sure the royal line is continued in case the unthinkable should occur..." King Aznair began to instruct his chosen heir.

"T-the un-unthinkable, Father?" the Crown Prince interrupted.

"Yes,In case you just fall over dead one morning or your food is poisoned. Maybe the nobles will stage a coup or an assassin will slip into your room late one night" Daiz suggested with a smirk.

"P-poison? A-assassins?" Gazaiz choked in horror.

"Daiz! Don't taunt your brother so!" the Kabochan monarch scolded.

"Sadly, your brother is _partially_ correct, Gazaiz. Unfortunate events do occur so you must have an heir and you must also father at least one more child in the event the first does not survive for whatever reason" Aznair warned.

"As if one brat wasn't bad enough!" the elder price groaned.

"You'll have more responsibilities than throwing celebrations and having the kitchen staff keeping your plate filled. And by the way, my condolances to the bride, whoever the poor girl turns out to be!" Daiz snickered.

"THAT IS ENOUGH, DAIZ!" the king barked.

" _You're just jealous_! I WILL BE KING!" Gazaiz snapped.

"I don't care! I just feel pity for our people when YOU rule over them" the youngest prince of Kabochan declared.

"He will also rule over _you_, Daiz. It's best not to make an enemy of your own brother" King Aznair advised.

"Father, I truly wonder what my fate is to be once you are gone. My _brother_ has never cared a whit for me and it wouldn't be a surprise if he chose to dispose of me " the warrior-prince said flatly.

"You dare to question the honor of the Crown Prince? You've spent too much time with common soldiers!" Gazaiz growled.

"That is a most serious accusation, Daiz. I am ashamed that you believe that your brother would be capable of such a heinous act" the king sighed.

"You are blind where Gazaiz is concerned, Father. You always have been" Daiz said softly.

"Nonsense!" the Kabochan king insisted. Certainly, the two young princes were never close but the king couldn't fathom the idea of his eldest harming his younger sibling in any way.

A ragged breath came from the frail monarch, Daiz dropped to his knees beside the bed and seized his father's left hand. Gazaiz hesitated for a moment and then took the king's right hand but he did not kneel.

"_Kneel to your King_! " Daiz snarled.

The Crown Prince bristled at the command but knelt at his sire's side. One more breath rasped through the aged king. Then King Aznair of Kabochan was no more.

...

Prince Daiz sighed as he slowly walked away from his father's grave. It was still hard to believe that a full day had gone by since his father's passing. The Crown Prince had wasted no time declaring his coronation before the mourning period was even over for the deceased monarch.

Daiz had no wish to see his father's crown on his brother's head but he would have to face him sooner or later so he might as well get it over with.

...

King Gazaiz sighed with pleasure as he leaned back into the throne made of a single gigantic ruby. He was king at last! The former prince had actually worried how much longer his late father was going to survive. He wanted the throne while he was still young enough to enjoy it!

The new monarch curled his lip up in disgust as he caught sight of his younger brother approaching him. He had to decide what to do with his annoying sibling. A cruel smile crossed his face as a solution suddenly came to mind.

"You couldn't wait for the mourning period, Gazaiz? Were you so eager to take over Father's position as king?" the young prince spat angrily.

"I merely assumed my royal duties to protect my kingdom. Guards! You will seize Prince Daiz immediately!" Gazaiz ordered.

"WHAT?" Daiz demanded.

The palace guards stepped forward and grabbed Diaz around his wrists, forcing them behind his back. They were quite aware of the warrior- prince's fighting skill but also knew they were bound by law to obey the new king.

"What are you doing , Gazaiz?" Daiz demanded.

"THAT'S KING GAZAIZ!" the former prince shouted.

A smirk crossed the new monarch's face "Prince Daiz, you are hereby condemned of treason against your king. I clearly heard you threaten to have me poisoned, attacked by assassins or overthrown by my own royal court."

"I DID NO SUCH THING!" Prince Daiz roared.

King Gazaiz continued "Since you are a prince of Kabochan, you will not be sentenced to death. You will be contained in the royal dungeon for the remainder of your existence."

"I warned Father that you'd do something like this!" Daiz snarled.

"Did you really think that the old fool would listen to any talk against me?" Gazaiz taunted.

Daiz moved in a blur of speed quickly freeing himself from the guards' grasp.

"DON'T LET HIM ESCAPE!" the newly-crowned king of Kabocha bellowed.

It was child's play for the well-trained prince to fight his way out of the palace. He flew towards the Kabochan mountains. He'd be safe there until he decided what to do next.

...

Daiz had only managed a few hours of fitful sleep in the cave he'd found when something seemed to shake the very mountains themselves. There was a loud roar and the earth shook once more under his feet.

Stepping out of the cave and looking towards the city his father once ruled, the young prince gasped in horror. Smoke billowed to the sky and flames were rapidly consuming the great wall surrounding the city. Daiz took to the sky, he gave no thought to being in danger himself. His people needed him.

Daiz landed just outside the palace, citizens of the city were screaming and running in all directions. They were trying to escape the strange beings that had landed on their planet. The newcomers had attacked as soon as they touched down on Kabocha's surface.

Rushing into the throne room, the young prince saw his elder brother huddled into a quivering mass as he sat upon his throne. Daiz shook his head in absolute disgust.

"Call out the army! It's your place as king to command them!" Daiz urged the shivering monarch.

"I-I'M N-NOT GOING OUT THERE!" Gazaiz screeched. "I know. I'll go to the treasury! I'll be _safe _there!"

The so-called king of Kabocha hurried from the throne room as fast as his legs would carry him. He was completely oblivious to the destruction and mayhem going on outside the palace.

Daiz ran back outside the palace, he saw a face he recognized and called out"Commander Quanes! We need to mobilize the army immediately!"

The grizzled commander looked at the young prince with disdain "Only the king can give that order."

"Your "king" is hiding like a coward! I am the Prince of Kabocha and I _demand_ that you rally the army!" Daiz barked.

"I DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT YOUR COMMANDS, 'PRINCE!' " Commander Quanos scoffed as he simply walked away.

The prince couldn't believe this was happening, Kabocha was going to be taken by invaders and NO ONE CARED!

A small squad of soldiers suddenly appeared, they were fighting off a group of reptilian beings in blue and siver armor. Daiz smiled as he recognized the Kabochan warriors and he quickly joined the fray. In no time at all, the reptiles were defeated and their bodies lay scattered about.

Daiz addressed one of the Kabochans "Maleus, What's going on here?"

The young soldier bowed to the prince before speaking "Your Highness, Several ships landed and the strangest creatures came out of them. They began attacking everyone in sight and gave no reason for doing so. Commander Quanos refused to sound the alarm without the king's order even though we begged him to do so."

"Our dear "king" is hiding in the treasury!"Daiz spat angrily.

Daiz looked at the young men that stood with him. There was Maleus, a strong Kabochan that he had the pleasure of sparring with many times. Anar the archer, he was capable of firing a half-dozen laser arrows at a time. Kegia, a skilled martial artist that could wield his ki in the shape of a blade. And finally, Pareus, a skilled fighter in any medium.

"Men, We are all there is to defend Kabocha. Will you stand with me?" Daiz asked.

"Aye!" the warriors all spoke as one man.

"Prince Daiz, With all due respect. You do know we don't have a prayer against them" Maleus declared.

"Perhaps not. But we _must try_! If we fail, we die like men with honor" the young prince insisted.

The warriors heartily agreed and the small team began their unlikely defense against the horde of invading lifeforms.

...

Meanwhile, Gazaiz lay huddled under a golden table in the royal Kabochan treasury. He gasped as he heard the heavy doors forced open. Beings such as he had never seen the like of were seizing the priceless treasures and carrying them away. King Gazaiz was outraged. How dare these monsters help themselves to _his_ inheritance!

" You put that back, immediately!" Gazaiz demanded imperiously as he crawled out from his hiding place.

The three blue-skinned elephantine creatures ignored his command and continued to pilfer the treasury.

_"I am King Gazaiz! You will obey my command_!" the Kabochan monarch ordered.

"_They_ are under MY command,_'Your Majesty' _" a cold voice declared.

The Kabochan ruler felt his blood turn to ice as the speaker came into view. It was a tall,dark-skinned being in black and silver armor with short, spiky black hair and a furry brown tail was wrapped around his waist. Gazaiz knew he was looking into the soulless onyx eyes of ...a Saiyan!

"Is this _ALL _there is? I'm quite disappointed. These few baubles are hardly worth wasting my time coming here " the Saiyan mused.

"See here! You arrogant..."

A red-skinned fish being in blue and black armor rushed up to the Saiyan "Master Turles, All but the West Gate is under our control. It seems a small force of Kabochans have rallied there to defend it."

_Turles_? The Kabochan monarch blanced with horror as he reconized that name.

"I'll be there shortly after I decide what to do with _this one _" Turles smirked.

Gazaiz swallowed hard, his fate was sealed. The notorious Turles, pirate scourge of the galaxy was known for his extreme cruelty.

The king backed away " Y-You're really T-Turles?"

"Yes. I see my reputation proceeds me. Sadly yours' is unwarranted, I don't see a _warrior-king_ just an annoying overfed toad!" Turles snarled.

A ki-blast obliterated the hapless king before he could even scream.

...

Daiz stood over the bodies of his fallen comrades, he would fight until he took his last breath. It probably wouldn't be long in coming as another wave of the alien invaders surged forth.

Turles watched as the young Kabochan warrior fought against his men. The odds were clearly stacked against him but the lone soldier fought on. A genuine smile crossed the Saiyan's face, so valiant a fighter deserved to live.

"ENOUGH!" Turles commanded. His men stopped fighting and turned to him as they awaited his orders.

The badly wounded Kabochan prince fought to stay on his feet as he observed the obvious leader of the force that attacked his homeworld.

"Who are you?" Turles called out.

"I AM DAIZ, PRINCE OF KABOCHA!"

Turles smirked " I came looking for a warrior-king but instead I find a prince that is more than worthy of that title. I wish to spare your life, I could use someone with your courage and skills."

Daiz looked at the invading force's commander,he was a Saiyan to be sure. Saiyans didn't make a practice of handing out praise. He must have truly impressed the dark-skinned Saiyan male.

The prince then turned his eyes downward to his fallen comrades. They were the only ones that he had mattered to outside of his mother. If he gave up his life, his race would end with him. Would they think him a coward if he chose to live? He had served a father he could never please, fought for an ungrateful people that worshipped his brother. It was time for him to actually live.

"If you want me to go with you, I must ask for these four brave souls to have a decent burial first" Diaz insisted.

"Done. I would expect no less of you" Turles affirmed.

...

"Wow!" was all Gohan could say.

"Now you'd best get to sleep before the commander gets back" Daiz warned.

"Thanks for the story, Daiz!" the little half Saiyan yawned as he crawled onto his bunk.

"Good-night, Brat!" Daiz said as he walked out of the room.

...

The former prince peeked into Gohan's room. Gohan was fast asleep, a half-smile on his innocent face. Daiz sighed, the boy wouldn't be innocent for long as Turles would soon force him into pirating.

...

Gohan stepped into his new boots and walked about in amazement. He'd never felt anything so soft and comfortable.

Daiz wondered why the boy kept looking at his boots "Do the boots not fit, kid?"

"Oh, They fit just fine. I've never had boots that felt this good!" Gohan chortled.

"I've told you when you're with Turles only the best of everything will do. Now get out here before the commander comes for you!" Daiz warned.

Gohan flew to his morning assignment.

...

The son of Goku closed the thick crimson book he was reading with a sigh. He'd finished reading the book and he watched the stars and planets whiz by as Turles had them going to Kami only knew where.

"No way! Are you really finished readin' that book, Brat?" Daiz asked with a look of surprise.

"Yes, Sir!" Gohan affirmed.

"I suppose you'll need something to do, Brat" Turles announced as he rose from his seat.

The dark-skinned Saiyan dropped a pair of filthy black boots next to Gohan "Clean and polish those!"

"Yes, Master Turles!" Gohan spoke up quickly. He took the container of what seemed to be polish and went to clean the dirt off the boots first.

Daiz wondered if the six-year-old even knew _how_ to polish boots.

Gohan grinned to himself, his mother was always worried about his personal appearance the few times he ventured away from home. Clean polished shoes were a must!

Turles snatched a boot away from Gohan when he brought them back. Daiz's jaw dropped, Turles raised an eyebrow in surprise at the youngster's work. The Saiyan pirate could see his reflection in the brilliantly polished leather.

"Excellent work!"

Setting the boots down, the commander ordered the boy to follow him.

_'Surely he's not going to punish him, the kid did a heck of a job!' _Daiz thought to himself.

Turles opened a door and gestured for Gohan to step inside the room. One look at the magnificent bed it contained and Gohan knew they were in the Saiyan's personal quarters. A wall shelf held a great stack of books, the infamous pirate pointed to the shelf.

"When you have no duties to perform, you are welcome to come here and get any book you choose to read. I will trust that nothing else in this room will be disturbed. If you violate my trust, not only will you never see another of these books but you will be most severely punished. Understood, Brat?" Turles demanded.

"Yes, Commander!" Gohan agreed.

The six-year-old chose a thick green book. A half-smile lit Turles's face. " _Legends Of The Saiyan Race"_ was the book chosen by the boy.

Daiz scratched his head as Turles returned to his seat and the boy engrossed himself in another huge book.

"Planet Arshath will be the next world to plant the Tree of Might" the Saiyan male announced.

"I'll get the seed ready, Master Turles" the dark green -haired pirate affirmed.

"Oh, Daiz. _You_ won't be planting the seed...the brat will."

...

So what did you think? Please let me know.


	4. A Hard Lesson For Gohan

Sorry for the long wait, folks! Here's chapter 4! Thanks to Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Ali, z-gang tormentor, Kallu, Laania and icewolf for the reviews on chapter 3.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters. Akira Toriyama does!

...

Gohan closed the book he had been reading. Once again he'd devoured another thick volume in very little time. Other than a few menial tasks Turles had given him, the young half-Saiyan had nothing more to do but read.

Daiz noticed immediately"You finished _that_ book too, kid?"

"Yes,sir" Gohan replied.

Turles turned in his seat as he overheard the conversation. He surveyed the book he had allowed Kakarot's son to borrow, entitled "_Legends Of The Saiyan Race_." The Saiyan pirate fired off a series of questions whose answers would have been found in the heavy tome.

Daiz didn't miss the look of amazement in the onyx eyes of the Saiyan commander as the six-year-old answered each question. When Turles wordlessly turned back to the screen he was observing, Gohan knew he was dismissed.

The former prince of Kabocha shook his head as the boy disappeared momentarily and returned with another book tucked under his arm.

...

Gohan looked up from his seat on the floor and saw Daiz now occupying the pilot's seat. Turles was elsewhere on the ship. Curiosity got the better of the half-Saiyan. He wandered through the ship, careful not to go where Daiz had advised him against.

The son of Goku discovered the dark-skinned Saiyan in a small training room. Turles was aiming kicks and punches at an imaginary opponent. Gohan gaped at the sheer speed that the pirate commander utilized. At times, the black and silver armored figure was just a blur of motion.

"Hmm, Does someone care to spar?" Turles called out.

Gohan gasped as the Saiyan slammed into him. The impact caused the youngster to be sent flying into the wall on the opposite side of the room. Gohan painfully picked himself up off the floor.

"Are we going to cry now?" Turles taunted.

"NO! I mean no, commander" the six-year-old spoke up quickly.

"NEVER let your guard down" the elder Saiyan warned.

"Understood, Master Turles" Gohan affirmed.

"Let's see what the son of Kakarot can do!" Turles mocked.

_'I'm the son of Goku_!' the half-Saiyan child wanted to scream but he didn't dare to.

The dark-skinned Saiyan landed a punch to Gohan's jaw and a succesive one to his stomach.

"Not even worth the bother.."Turles began.

The space pirate fell silent as he suddenly found himself actually blocking a flurry of blows from the now furious half-blood. To the Saiyan warrior's surprise the child managed to land a blow to _his_ jaw. Not hard enough to do any real damage but certainly enough to be felt.

Gohan immediately stopped his actions and he stared up at Turles in absolute terror. He'd struck the pirate and in his face at that. Surely he'd receive a severe punishment now.

"What ARE you doing, Brat?" Turles demanded as the boy suddenly appeared to be paralyzed with fear.

"I-I HIT YOU!" Gohan stammered.

Turles stared at young half-Saiyan in utter disbelief.

"Were you not taught that one should EXPECT to be hit at times during a spar? Did you not train with your father?" the full-blood Saiyan growled.

"I-I didn't get to spar or train much with my dad. Mom didn't want me fighting, Commander" Gohan explained.

"But you're a _Saiyan._ What _did _your mother expect you to do?" Turles asked incredilously.A Saiyan who didn't fight was unheard of.

"She made me read A LOT and study. She wanted me to be a great scholar, Master Turles" the youngster spoke up.

"No wonder you went through the books so quickly" the pirate affirmed.

"Learning has its' place. We don't want you to be ignorant, I can't abide stupidity. But your training is of great importance. You will train here for three hours a day unless I instruct you otherwise and that training begans _now_,Brat" Turles informed him.

With that, Turles lifted up Gohan's hand and showed him how to use the power from his shoulder rather than just striking out with his fist. His strike would carry much more force by doing so...

...

"Master Turles, We are nearing planet Jalsed" Daiz reported.

"Excellent. Get cleaned up, Brat. We're stopping for a meal before we take you to your assignment" Turles ordered.

"Yes,Commander!" Gohan responded as he quickly made his way to the cleansing facility.

The hot water of the shower helped ease the soreness of his muscles. He wasn't used to training so extensively and Turles was no easy instructor. Gohan wondered what his _assignment _was going to be and why he had a sense of dread about it. But anyway he was starving and Turles always chose the most incredible places to dine. He was going to enjoy his meal before he concerned himself with anything else. In no time at all he was clean, dry, dressed and ready to go.

...

Gohan crawled up onto his little bunk. Once again he'd enjoyed a sumptous meal and he planned on a nice nap before he had to face whatever the dreaded assignment would turn out to be. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit his pillow.

Daiz looked in on the boy. The kid had an air of innocence about him as he slept. A long sigh came from the Kabochan pirate. That innocence wasn't going to last long under Turles's command.

...

Turles's ship landed on planet Arshath. Gohan stared up at the deep blue sky that happened to have two suns. A lush jungle lay just ahead, strange cries echoed from the animal life. The six-year-old wondered what Turles expected him to do on this beautiful world that achingly reminded him of Earth.

Daiz stepped up next to him and handed him something small and hard. It looked like almost like a large hard Sensu bean "You have to plant the seed here, Kid. Just blast a small hole and toss it in. Nature will take care of the rest."

"Seed for what?" Gohan asked. He wasn't sure if he really wanted an answer. The small hairs on the back of his neck began to stand up. It was almost as if something was very wrong about the object he held. A cruel smile on the face of Turles who suddenly apppeared unnerved Gohan even more. He couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was going to happen.

"It's the seed for the Tree of Might of course. This world is a perfect place to plant the tree and harvest its' fruit" the dark-skinned Saiyan declared.

Gohan gasped and looked the seed in his hand. This thing was what caused the destruction of his home planet, the loss of his family and friends. He would never forget the evil tree that sprang from a seed just like this one. That horrid tree had left the once beautiful planet Earth as nothing but a dried husk. The abundant life it once held silenced forever. Never again would the Earth be capable of supporting life. Now he was expected to strip _this_ planet of all life...

"NO! I _WON'T_ DO IT!" Gohan snarled.

Daiz swallowed hard wondering how Turles was going to react. Grown men had been killed instantly for refusing an order from the Saiyan pirate.

"I am giving you a _direct order_, Brat. Plant the seed NOW!" Turles barked.

Gohan shivered under the intensity of the Saiyan's angry glare but he stood his ground.

"I'M _NOT_ GOING TO DESTROY THIS WORLD!" the half-Saiyan screamed.

_'That's it. The kid's DEAD!' _Daiz thought to himself.

The six-year-old balled his fists up in absolute fury. A red aura began to glow around him as he raged inside over everything that had happened to him.

Daiz stole a look at Turles. He was actually smiling!

"Seems as if I'll have a light workout before we're done here" Turles chuckled.

He took a bite out of the piece of fruit he'd brought along just in case. The pirate commander wanted the boy to know just what kind of power he was dealing with.

Gohan flew directly to Turles and did his best to rain blow after blow on the evil Saiyan. Turles effortlessly dodged or batted away his attacks as simply as if he were just an annoying fly to be swatted away. Several damaging blows struck the Earth-raised youth and he had yet to strike the Saiyan.

Suddenly Turles phased in behind Gohan and seized his tail in a crushing grip. The son of Goku sank to his knees in horrible pain. With a savage kick, the dark-skinned Saiyan took the boy's legs out from under him. Turles held Gohan's tail in his right hand and his right foot was on the back of the child's neck exerting just enough pressure to cause pain but not enough to crush his windwipe. Gohan shrieked in absolute agony.

"What's it going to be, Brat? Obey my order or suffer! I can do this for _some_ time you know. And if you make me angry enough to kill you, your end will be the most agonizing thing I can devise. Be forewarned I have _quite_ the imagination!" Turles hissed.

"Sorry, Dad!" Gohan sobbed under his breath.

"I'LL DO IT! JUST LET ME GO! PLEASE, MASTER TURLES!" the six-year-old cried out.

Turles smirked as he released his hold on the young boy "There you see, Daiz? Just a little of the right _persuasion_ and we have complete cooperation."

Gohan felt the bile rise in his throat as he blasted a hole in the planet's surface and tossed in the seed...

...

So, what did you think? Please let me know.


	5. Guilt

Here's chapter 5! Thanks to Ryo-chan wolfgirl, z-gang tormentor, Kallu, RawrzxP, gohanFanfics, Laania. Ali, Icewolf and Panxodakilla for all the reviews on chapter 4. Thanks to Panxodakilla also for the additional review on chapter 3.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

Gohan sat forlornly staring out at the stars and planets as they whizzed by. He 'd not said a word since the planet Arshath was left in a lifeless, withered state from the seed he'd been forced to plant.

Daiz gave the boy a look of concern. Usually the kid would have had his nose happily buried in some sort of book by now. The little half-Saiyan had went about the chores Turles assigned him in a mechanical- like fashion. At the evening meal, Gohan had merely shifted the food about on his plate until Turles had ordered him to eat. He still spoke not a word and there was a haunted look in his eyes.

"Time for bed, Brat" Turles ordered.

"Yes, Master Turles" Gohan said flatly.

...

Gohan tossed restlessly in his sleep, disturbing images began to haunt his dreams...

_The six-year-old was walking behind Turles and Daiz through a crowd. He quickly noticed the horrified stares and pointing fingers that were directed towards him. Gohan gasped as he realized he was leaving bloody footprints with every step he took._

_When the boy pointed out his tracks to his captors, Turles and Daiz merely burst into laughter..._

The son of Goku awoke shivering and gasping for breath. He forced himself to calm down as Turles would be annoyed if he were sleepy the next morning. Closing his eyes he fell back into a fitful sleep.

_The figure of a smiling ,laughing Goku dissappeared and was replaced by a broken, blood-drenched figure pleading for its' life. An enormous hairy creature glared down at him._

_"NO,GOHAN! DON'T DO IT, SON! GOOOHHAAANNN! NOOOOOOOO!" his father screamed._

_There were more screams as a great foot slammed down onto the helpless Earth-raised Saiyan. _

_Chi-Chi suddenly appeared. Her hands were balled up into fists and her dark eyes flashed with_ _anger. She lifted one hand and brought it down in a vicious slap against Gohan's right cheek._

_"YOU! I TOLD YOU TO STAY HOME AND STUDY! YOU DISOBEYED ME! Your father would STILL be_ _ALIVE if YOU had stayed home! If only you had LISTENED! It's YOUR FAULT that he's dead! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT_, _GOHAN!" Chi-Chi screamed in accusation._

_Gohan covered his ears at his mother's stinging accusation,"NO! It's NOT my fault! I DIDN'T MEAN TO..."_

The son of Goku awakened once more, this time he screamed in absolute anguish. Hot tears rolled down the six-year-old's sweaty face.

Daiz leapt out of his bed and raced to the boy's room as the pitiful cries reached him. He found the little half-Saiyan drenched in sweat and trembling violently. The former prince put a hand on Gohan's shoulder. To his amazement, the half- human child buried his face into the Kabochan's chest. The heartbroken boy's body was wracked with sobs.

"Easy,Kid. It was just a bad dream. Nothing real. Go back to sleep before you get into trouble" Daiz advised as he gave the boy a few awkward pats on the back.

Gohan nodded stiffly and gave a few sniffles before he lay down once more. Daiz went to step out of the room and was surprised by Gohan's reply.

"Thank you, Mister Daiz, Sir!"

"Uh, yeah, Kid" Daiz mumbled.

Daiz entered the hall to face the imposing figure of Turles standing outside of the boy's room.

"Something ails the brat?" the pirate commander questioned.

"He..he had a nightmare, Master Turles" the dark-green haired warrior answered.

"Quite common for a child" Turles said in a bored tone.

"This...this all might be too much for him, Commander" Daiz suggested.

"Nonsense. He's a Saiyan, he'll adapt" Turles insisted.

"And if he doesn't?"

As I said. _He is a Saiyan_" Turles growled.

The Saiyan male didn't miss the concern evident in the former prince's expression.

"You've gotten attached to the brat" the dark-skinned Saiyan observed.

Daiz shrugged his shoulders, neither confirming or denying his commander's statement, "He's a good kid, Master Turles."

"Definitely attached" Turles smirked.

Daiz sighed but gave no reply.

"We'll be intercepting a ship bound for planet Artares in a few hours, its' cargo will prove most profitable. The brat will be purging planet Laragid "the pirate commander informed him.

"You sure he'll be able to handle that, Commander?" Daiz blurted out.

Turles raised an eyebrow at his crew member's words.

"Of course, you are. Forgive me, Master Turles" the Kabochan pirate spoke up quickly.

"Planet Laragid is quite small and the power level of its' inhabitants is negligible. And rest assured that he won't remember a thing about his mission" Turles added with a wicked smile.

_'Yep, The kid's innocence is coming to an end' _Daiz thought to himself.

For just a moment, a long-forgotten memory popped into Turles's thoughts. A lonely, cold and hungry Saiyan child sat huddled in the ruins of a devastated planet... The Saiyan forced the image from his mind. That situation was long ago and no longer a concern.

...

Turles held the struggling Gohan and forced him to stare at the ball of light hanging in the brilliant pink sky of planet Laragid. Transfixed by the glowing sphere, the half-Saiyan child began his monstrous transformation. He could hear Turles's merciless laughter ringing in his ears...

The citizens of Laragid screamed out in horror as the Oozaru appeared and began destroying both buildings and living beings as well. Throwing its' great head back, the fearsome beast gave a mighty roar. The short- statured reptilian race didn't have a prayer against the monster...

...

As Turles and Daiz looted the hapless ship, the Kabochan couldn't help but wonder how Gohan was going to handle returning back toTurles after the purge of planet Laragid.

...

So, How was it? Let me know please!


	6. Part Of The Crew

Here's Chapter 6! Thanks to icewolf, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Panxodakilla, gohanFanfics, Laania and bardockthetruesupersaiyan for all the reviews on chapter 5. Thanks also to bardockthetruesupersaiyan for the additional reviews on chapters 1 thru 4.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of it's characters, Akira Toriyama does!

...

Gohan sat up suddenly and found himself sitting on his bunk in Turles's ship. But how could that be? Hadn't Turles taken him to a strange planet and forced him to look at that awful false moon again? Everything was a blur, he seemed to remember these strange beings running and screaming but wasn't quite sure if it had been one of the nightmares that now constantly plagued his sleep or reality. But then it couldn't have been real, he'd still be on that planet wouldn't he?

It must have just been a dream. Once again his mind had filled with horrid images to disturb his slumber. With a long sigh, the young half-Saiyan lay back down and tried to will himself back to sleep. Eventually, his eyes grew heavy and he drifted back into a troubled sleep.

_Gohan was walking a shadowy path through the craggy peaks of Mount Paozu when he saw a_ _familar figure standing just ahead. There was no mistaking the tall muscular green- skinned_ _figure wearing a white cape and a matching turban._

"_Mr. Piccolo! It's you! You're okay!" Gohan shouted joyfully._

_The son of Goku gasped in horror as Piccolo turned to face him. Red eyes glowed from the eye_ _sockets of the horribly burned Namek. As he backed away, Piccolo bore down on him, his hands balled up into fists" Do I _**LOOK OKAY? **_Worthless Saiyan spawn!"_

"_**CHICHI **__**TOLD YOU **__**TO STAY HOME!" **__another voice snarled from behind him._

_Tears trickled down the six-year-old's face as a badly wounded Krillin staggered out from the shadows._

_**"Piccolo was killed by Turles **__**when he got distracted because of you!"**__the former monk _accused.

_"That's right! And now the Dragonballs are useless! We can NEVER be wished back! _**NEVER!" **_a limping Yamcha hissed. Light shone through a fist-sized hole in the scar-faced warrior's chest._

_"It's all_ **YOUR FAULT! **_It's all _**YOUR FAULT!" **_Yamcha, Krillin and Piccolo chorused again and again..._

"NNOOOOOOO!" Gohan screamed. " IT WASN'T MY FAULT! IT WASN'T MY FAULT!"

"I'm glad we know it _wasn't_ your fault. WHATEVER "IT" IS!" Turles barked.

The half-Saiyan swallowed hard as he realized his surroundings. He'd awakened the pirate commander and he was probably going to be punished for it.

"S-sorry, M-master Turles! I m-must have had a bad dream. I didn't mean to wake you" Gohan stammered.

"Speak plainly, Brat. Don't stutter!" Turles snapped.

"Yes, Commander!" the child gulped.

"We can't help what we dream, Brat" the dark-skinned Saiyan rumbled as he stepped into the room. The muscular form of the space pirate was clothed only in a undergarment of some black silken material. Several massive scars ran across his chest.

"Find something to occupy yourself until you can go back to sleep" Turles ordered then he turned on his heel and left the room.

A stunned Gohan let out the breath he didn't even realize he was holding. Out in the hall, a watching Daiz did the same.

Uknown to Gohan and Daiz, Turles had been awakened by a dream of his own. He had just stepped out into the hall when he had heard the boy's screams. The pirate commander recalled the dream that had roused him from his sleep.

_A very young Turles walked into the room where his father stood. The powerfully built Saiyan gave him a look of utter disdain. From his short spiky hair to the glittering red and gold armor_ _of the Saiyan Royal Guard and polished black boots, Turles's sire was the epitome of a Saiyan_ _elite. _

_"Third-class! All you could manage was a pitiful third-class ranking!" the elite spat._

_"Father, I..." turles began._

_"Silence!" the furious elite warrior snarled."Getting you a second chance to be tested was a favor to me from King Vegeta himself! Thank Kami your mother was lost during the Kenfir mission and she doesn't have to share my shame."_

_"But Father, I'm training every day as hard as,..." the Saiyan youth started._

_"Enough! Every male in my family was an __**ELITE **__as far back as my ancestors could recall_ ..._**WE WERE ALL ELITES!**__ And then YOU disgrace us all!"_

_"Father..."_

_The royal guardsman held up his hand for silence"Take what you will and get out of my sight! NEVER RETURN HERE AGAIN!"_

...

Turles sat in the captain's chair staring out at the cosmos as his ship sailed past a profusion of stars and planets. Gohan appeared and he walked over to a large white book that had been neglected for several days.

"Still awake, Brat?" Turles sighed.

"Yes, Commander. I thought maybe some reading would help" the son of Goku spoke up quickly. He only received a curt nod.

Settled on the floor with his book, Gohan noticed a familiar scent. Could it be? Due to his Saiyan blood, the boy could discern the distinct aroma of chocolate before Turles even opened the small red foil wrapped package.

ChiChi hadn't allowed her son to have candy of any kind. Krillin had secretly given Gohan a candy bar once and the six-year-old had enjoyed every morsel.

Turles smirked as he noticed the boy sniffing the air. He held out a piece of the precious confection. To his surprise, the youngster shook his head negatively.

" No thank you, Master Turles. I can't have any candy. Mom said it would rot my teeth" Gohan declared.

The Saiyan full-blood snorted "When eaten in moderation with a bit of simple hygiene sweets won't harm your teeth."

A heavenly smell reached Gohan as the pirate waved the chocolate in his direction once more. He cautiously held out his hand and was actually surprised when a large piece of the treat was dropped into it.

...

Daiz appeared in the doorway of Gohan's room and called out to him "Best you be getting up and dressed, Kid. Unless you want to gnaw on your boots for breakfast later."

Gohan leapt out of his bed and began rapidly getting dressed. He wasn't about to miss a meal! No matter what else could be said about Turles, the Saiyan knew the best places to purchase meals. Since he had been taken away by the brooding pirate he'd not had a single meal he didn't relish.

The former Kabochan prince appraised his appearance as Gohan stepped into the hall. He pointed to the half-Saiyan's boots "Better go over those scuffs. You have to be at your best when you step out with Master Turles."

...

Gohan was stuffing his mouth with savory anara rice and he stole a look at Turles. While the Saiyan consumed enormous amounts of food, he never wolfed it down. Who would think that a pirate partook of his meals with such exemplary table manners?

The black and silver armor the Saiyan wore was buffed to a shine and one could see their reflection in Turles's boots. Not a lock of his spiky black hair was out of place. It was obvious that the pirate commander was paticular about his appearance.

Maybe that's why he was treated like royalty at the establishments he frequented. Or was it the huge amount of zeni the Saiyan always had on his person?

Gohan began to fidget in his seat and he whispered something to Daiz. The Kabochan pointed out a door and the six-year-old hurried to the facilities.

As Gohan was making his way back to the table where Turles and Daiz sat. A rotund yellow-skinned reptile stepped right out in front of him. The creature was carrying some sort of beverage which spilled as he slammed into the young half-Saiyan.

"You've ruined my drink, you filthy little ape!" the reptilian being bellowed.

"I-I'm sorry, Sir!" Gohan insisted.

"You're GONNA be sorry! Saiyan scum!" the yellow-skinned lifeform snickered as he seized Gohan by the throat and he began to squeeze...

"Let the boy go!" a voice rang out.

The yellow reptile looked up to see the imposing form of Turles standing before him.

"I'm sure we can work out a price so the boy is not harmed" the pirate commander offered.

_"HE'S_ gonna pay the price for disrespecting me!" the reptilian hissed.

The reptile suddenly noticed the furry tail wrapped around Gohan's waist. "Should have taught your offspring some manners!"

"The brat is NOT mine!" Turles growled.

"Then what's it to ya if I _END_ this little monkey?"

"He _happens_ to be part of my crew. NOW LET HIM GO!" the pirate commander barked.

"NO! I'm gonna _smother_ this little piece of Saiyan trash!" the reptile snickered as he choked the struggling youth.

Turles raised his right hand and a smoking pile of ash was all that remained of the offensive reptile.

The Saiyan male reached at his belt and threw a hefty sack of zeni to a scowling owl-like creature "That's for the mess!"

A wide smile appeared on the avian's face and he walked away without a word of complaint. Two servants appeared and quickly removed what remained of the hapless reptile.

"Let's go, Brat!" Turles ordered.

"Yes Commander!" Gohan followed the pirate back to their table.

"Master Turles, Did you mean what you said back there?" the six-year-old asked.

"I always mean what I say, Brat" Turles huffed.

"I'm REALLY a member of the crew? Commander?"Gohan pressed.

The Saiyan looked him in the eye "Are you a slave?"

"No, Master Turles" the half-Saiyan answered.

"Then you're a member of the crew."

...

So what'd you think? Review please!


	7. Katchia

Here's Chapter 7! Thanks to Ryo-chan wolfgirl, SSJ2 Silven, Rawrzx3, gohanFanfics, Laania, bardockthetruesupersaiyan, Panxodakilla, 9th ZXfighter and FinalFlashX for all the reviews on chapter 6.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

...

Turles cursed as he surveyed the damage to the exterior of his ship. He had been informed of a small craft carrying a most profitable shipment. Of course he and Diaz decided they would raid the ship. Unfortunately, his source had forgotten one very important detail, the ship was quite heavily armed for one of its' size and the damage it wrought on Turles's ship was considerable.

To make matters worse, Turles had had to make an emergency landing in one hell of a place. If there was any form of civilization on the planet it was certainly well hidden. There was nothing to see for miles but a dismal dark forest. The Saiyan paid no mind to the small lake that was just a short distance away from the ship.

Daiz was also checking out the damage accompanied by a worried-looking Gohan. The former prince didn't let on how serious their situation could turn out to be but he was sure the boy could sense it somehow. It wasn't like they could just signal for help. Any number of individuals would just love to turn in the Saiyan pirate for the price on his head.

"Can you manage the repairs, Daiz?"

The Kabochan warrior's musings were interuppted by the voice of his commander. He turned to face the dark-skinned Saiyan.

"I believe I can. It actually looks worse than it is. But it will take at least a day or so, Master Turles" Daiz declared.

The pirate commander sighed in disgust"I suppose we have no choice in the matter. Since I'm no mechanic, I'll make myself useful by seeing what I can scavenge up for our dinner."

Turles turned to Gohan "Assist Daiz when necessary and stay out of trouble, Brat!"

"Yes. Commander" Gohan replied glumly.

_'What if we're stuck out here?'_ the son of Goku wondered.

...

Turles wondered if they had crashlanded on a planet that had been partially purged and simply abandoned. There seemed to be no animal life whatsoever only dense vegetation and nothing he recognized as being edible. Suddenly some tangled weeds rustled and he picked up the scent of something...

...

Gohan quickly tired of watching Daiz work, his stomach rumbled in protest as it had not received any nourishment since the noon meal. Turles had been gone for several hours now and there was nothing to do. The shimmering lake that lay just ahead caught his interest.

_'I wonder if there's any fish in there_?'

Engrossed in his work, the green-haired pirate never noticed the little half-Saiyan child sneak away.

...

Turles growled in disgust at the small rodent that crawled out before him and scampered away in fear. The tiny beast wouldn't even be a mouthful for the brat. It seemed the tasteless emergency rations stored in his ship were going to be all they had to look forward to until they could get off this mudball.

...

To Gohan's delight, there were several varities of fish swimming about in the clear waters of the lake. Memories of fishing with his father saddened him. There were few times that Chi-Chi had relented on his studies for him take time for such activities. He'd seen some thin rope on Turles's ship and the wild bamboo growing nearby would serve for a pole. With a giggle, Gohan began to prepare for a little impromptu fishing...

Daiz suddenly noticed that Gohan was nowhere to be seen. He heard a sudden splash and a squeal, he hoped the kid hadn't fallen into the lake. The pirate was in no mood for a swim. Finally His eyes went wide at the sight before him, the boy was removing a fair-sized fish from some sort of contraption. There was an impressive amount of fish lying on the lakeshore beside the six-year-old who squealed with delight each time he reeled another fish in.

Daiz shook his head and laughed at the sight. As _his_ stomach made its' emptiness known, the Kabochan decided a little fire- roasted fish would be just the thing to stop his belly's incessant rumbling. Gohan eagerly nodded his head as his elder crewmate walked over and made that suggestion.

...

After several hours of fruitless searching for any kind of game to be found, Turles headed back into the direction of his ship. A tantalizing aroma greeted the Saiyan as he touched down in front of of the ship. Somehow Daiz had procured food of some sort.

The pirate commander was struck with amazement as Daiz revealed that it was the half-Saiyan child that had caught the fish that they were presently enjoying.

"Well done, Brat" Turles declared. There was actually a genuine smile on the Saiyan's face as he spoke.

"T-thank you, Master Turles" Gohan spoke up quickly. He receieved a barely perceptable nod from the Saiyan male.

_'There's hope for you yet, Kid_ _' _Daiz thought to himself.

...

Gohan had his nose buried in a large gray book as he sat on the ship's floor in his usual spot. Daiz was putting his tools away now that the damage to the hull of Turles's ship was finally repaired. After two full days on the bleak planet, all three occupants of the ship were eager to be elsewhere.

"Daiz, We'll be making a stop at Krazlzdor" Turles informed the Kabochan as he slipped into the pilot's seat.

"Katchia, huh?" the green-haired warrior asked.

"Yes, It's been a while now" Turles sighed.

Gohan pretended to read his book while listening in on the conversation between the two males. What was a 'Katchia'?

"Hopefully she's doing well" Daiz commented. Turles merely nodded and turned his attention to the ship's controls.

Gohan's curiousity was piqued now. It seemed 'Katchia' was some female unknown to him. Maybe another one of Turles's girfriends, he grimaced at the thought. How did the Saiyan manage to keep up with them all anyway?

"We're going to have to replace the crew eventually. Our finances won't last forever with the minimum profits we've brought in and I'm far too spoiled to change my lifestyle now" Turles advised.

"The new Crusher Corps, eh?" Daiz asked.

The pirate commander gave a weary sigh " Ah yes, The Crusher Corps. We were going to overthrow Frieza and crush anyone who got in our way. What an utter failure that venture was. "

Daiz didn't miss the bitterness in Turles's voice as he brought up his fallen crew.

"I may keep the name or change it to something else. Since a third time is supposed to be so auspicious, maybe I'll keep my _third_ crew alive!" Turles growled.

_'Third crew_?' Gohan wondered.

...

Planet Krazlzdor was a beautiful blue and green planet that painfully reminded Gohan of Earth. Huge stone buildings that would have been considered skyscrapers on the six-year-old's homeworld dominated the landscape. Turles flew to a somewhat smaller building. Daiz and Gohan quickly followed as the Saiyan landed and entered the building.

Gohan immediately thought of Capsule Corps as they entered what seemed to be a lab of some sort. The youngster felt a lump in his throat as he thought about Bulma. He'd never see his pretty blue-haired friend again.

Strangely enough, a blue-skinned female with raven black hair stood with her back to them. She wore a long white coat over a white uniform, the son of Goku guessed she was a scientist just as Bulma had been. A wave of sadness came over the little half-Saiyan.

Sensing a presence behind her, the woman turned to face the trio. She had a pretty heart-shaped face but her eyes were hidden behind an instrument that looked like a bizarre pair of goggles. Tiny lights flashed across the device as she turned her head.

"_TURLES!_ _Is it really you?_ " the female squealed as she rushed over and flung her arms around the startled Saiyan's neck.

"Calm yourself, Katchia! It's only been a few months! _Not years_!" Turles huffed.

"Daiz, How are you? I see you're still with this pitiful excuse for a pirate" Katchia asked as she smiled at the former prince.

"It's a living!" Daiz chuckled at the hint of pink that flushed across the Saiyan male's face.

Gohan gaped as he noticed the furry brownish-black tail that merrily waved about behind Katchia. The woman was _part Saiyan_!

"Wait, Who's this? It's not Rasin or Lakasei...Oh! _He has a tail_...One of your sordid affairs caught up with you finally?" the female teased.

"Not hardly!" Turles growled."Daiz, Take the brat and get him something to eat while I deal with this insolent female!"

Gohan scratched his head in puzzlement. Turles's words were angry but he sounded as if he were going to burst into laughter at any moment.

"Sure, I get the hint. We'll leave you two lovebirds alone for a while, Commander!" Daiz snickered.

Daiz laughed even harder as he sidestepped two ki-blasts as he headed out of the room and motioned for Gohan to follow him.

...

"Who was that woman, Daiz? And what was that thing on her face?" Gohan asked as he placed a final plate onto the impressive stack of empty dishes in front of him.

"The woman's name is Katchia and the "thing" on her face is a ki-based vision enhancer. She can't make out specific colors and her night vision is extremely poor but she's no longer blind" the Kabochan warrior informed him.

"How does she know Master Turles? And why was she blind?" the curious youth asked.

"Full of questions this afternoon aren't you, Kid? Well, we have plenty of time to kill so I suppose I can tell you what Turles told me" the former prince sighed.

...

A group of five Saiyan war-pods streaked through space. The team of Saiyan warriors were in high spirits as they had successfully completed their purge mission days ahead of schedule. Planet Vegeta-sei was just a short distance away.

"Hey, Tarnip!" a male voice called out over the ship to ship communication system.

"What Chyvz? I was tryin'to get a nap in here" the hulking Saiyan known as Tarnip growled.

"Now you've done it, Chyvz! You interuppted Tarnip's beauty sleep!" another male voice snickered.

"What a shame! _His_ face needs all the help it can get!" a feminine voice chortled.

"Shut up, Kabage! You shut 'yer face too, Katchia!" Tarnip snarled.

The team leader, Turles, smirked and shook his head. Every mission it was the same, his crew would bust each other's chops before and after every assignment. But once a mission was under way no team looked out for each other more.

"Since I'm awake now what'd you want, Chyvz?" Tarnip huffed.

"Think Frieza will double our pay since we finished up early?" Chyvz questioned.

"Yeah right! We're talking about FRIEZA here" Kabage cut in.

"Frieza will pay us _double_ when Chyvz grows into his ears" Katchia teased.

"Nobody asked for comments from the half-breed!" Chyvz snapped.

"I DIDN'T ASK TO HEAR ANY OF YOU!" Turles suddenly barked.

His crew members fell silent.

Turles smirked again. The silence wouldn't last long, one of his crew would work up the nerve to snipe at one of the others and of course the rest would join in.

Tarnip was a massive muscular Saiyan whose size even dwarfed that of General Nappa. His red and black armor seemed as if it just managed to contain his great bulk. The huge warrior's hair was just a single shock of spiky black hair that stood straight up on his head.

Then there was Chyvz, Turles's second in command. He was tall and thin with long spiky black hair that reached to his hips. The armor he wore was green and gold. Chyvz had a pair of ears that were just slightly above the average Saiyan's size. His crewmates never failed to remind him of that fact.

Kabage was the short pudgy mechanically inclined one of the bunch. His short spiky black hair went in all directions. There were few ship repairs that the dark blue and gray armored warrior couldn't manage.

Last and certainly not least there was Katchia. The brilliant blue- skinned, black- haired female was half Saiyan and half Alborite. Except for the skin hue she inherited from her mother, Katchia was no different in appearance than any other Saiyan female. The purple and silver armored warrior had been abandoned at birth by her Alborite mother and raised as a Saiyan warrior by her sire.

Years ago, Katchia would have been slain at the time of her birth for being of mixed blood. However, many of the old Saiyan traditions had been done away with since the warrior race came under Frieza's control. Katchia had a brilliant mind and served part-time as a scientist on Vegeta-sei. But being true to her Saiyan nature, Katchia also took on purge missions for her love of fighting.

The spirited half-blood had earned the respect of her fellow crewmates with her courage and battle skills. However, her team never failed to use her mixed heritage to needle her whenever the opportunity arose.

Cheers came from the Saiyan team as the red planet of Vegeta-sei came into view. Suddenly a huge sphere of yellow- orange energy appeared and shot into the planet's core.

"WHAT IN KAMI'S NAME WAS THAT?" Tarnip bellowed.

Before anyone else could respond, great fissures rippled across the surface of Vegeta-sei. An eerie light shone the through the great cracks...

"FALL BACK! FALL BACK NOW!" Turles roared.

The five pods shot away from the planet. As the stunned team looked back at their homeworld, a great explosion reduced Vegeta-sei to nothing more than a mass of rubble and dust floating in space.

"H-head f-for base 240...we'll regroup there. T-there were other teams out besides us. _There_ _has to be more survivors_!" Turles managed to choke out.

His crew responded numbly but were grateful that their commander still had the presence of mind to issue coherant orders.

Turles looked back again, there was a large ship floating in space. Was that Frieza's flagship? What the hell was that lizard doing hanging around at a time like this?

Tarnip thought of the loss of his mate and two brats.

Chyvz wondered if he would have passed the test to be appointed to the Royal Palace Guard.

Kabage agonized over whether his first child had ever had a chance at life.

Tears rolled down Katchia's face as she vainly hoped that her father and half-brother had escaped Vegeta-sei's destruction.

...

The five pods landed on base 240 with a resounding boom. Turles leapt out of his ship as soon as it touched down.

"Stay here! I'll check in with the base commander" the dark-skinned Saiyan ordered as the rest of his crew exited their pods.

A horrific sight greeted Turles as he entered the command center. The bodies of slain Saiyans littered the floor. He rushed through room after room only to have the same grisly discovery in each of the rooms. Suddenly his scouter came to life.

"Turles? This is On-yon! Get your team somewhere safe! Dodoria has lost his mind! He and his men are killing everyone! He wiped out all the Saiyans on base 229 and 230! I can't reach Bardock or any of his team and Frieza hasn't responded since I reported Dodoria an hour ago!" a voice crackled over the scouter.

"This is Turles, We're on base 240! I'll alert my team!" Turles affirmed.

"Hey! It's Zarbon! Maybe Frieza got my...GHHAAAAA!" the sound of a ki-blast and a scream were the last sounds that came from On-yon.

What the hell was going on? Turles raced back to the entrance of base 240 only to discover...

Turles blinked back tears of anger and frustration as he caught sight of his fallen comrades. Nothing was left of his team but scorched bloody bodies. A low moan caught his attention, the Saiyan pulled the bodies aside that had been stacked atop one another. At the bottom of the blood-drenched pile was Katchia! She was not only gravely wounded but her pretty face was horribly burned.

"D-Dodoria blasted me in the f-face! I-I c-can't see..leave me and g-get out of here! They're looking for you!" the half-Saiyan female rasped.

"It's my fault for leaving you and the others behind! We're_ both_ getting out of here!" Turles declared.

Turles managed to get the two of them into the pod and above the base's surface when Dodoria's team discovered them and headed off in hot pursuit.

The Saiyan's pilot skills were beyond those of Dodoria's men. He managed to hide the pod behind a small moon as the others flew by.

...

"Without a rejuvenation tank being used in time, Katchia lost her sight. Turles blamed himself and he sought whatever means possible no matter what the price to restore whatever sight could be managed for her. That's why Katchia has the ki device. Turles could buy his ship three times with that cost of that little invention" Daiz explained to Gohan.

...

"You know it's my fault that you have a life like this " Turles insisted.

_"It wasn't your fault that the damned ice- lizard turned on us_!" YOU SAVED MY LIFE! _YOU_ gave me this life of freedom to live" Katchia declared as she waved her hand about her.

"You _almost_ have me convinced" Turles persisted.

"Stubborn Saiyan!" the half-blood female sighed.

...

So what did you think? Please review!


	8. A Thief Is Born

Here's Chapter 8! Thanks to Ryo-chan wolfgirl, gohanFanfics,Rawrzx3, Laania, SSJ2Silven, bardockthetruesupersaiyan, FinalFlashx andd icewolf for all the reviews on chapter 7.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

...

Gohan and Daiz had finished their meal and were wandering about the business area of planet Krazlzdor. Turles was still visting with his former teammate. Daiz was to return to Katchia's lab at the hour Turles had appointed.

Out of the corner of his eye, Gohan noticed the green-haired pirate step behind a well-dressed reptilian merchant. When the merchant walked away, Daiz slipped what obviously was a currency pouch into his belt.

The six-year-old's mouth dropped open in utter disbelief as he watched the former Kabochan prince follow a feline female that was practically dripping with expensive jewelry. Daiz's skillful hands whisked the jewels from the neck,ears and wrists of the feline without being noticed in the least.

Daiz looked up to see the little half-Saiyan glaring at him. Gohan stood with his arms crossed over his small chest and a furious expression on his face.

"_You've been_ _STEALING_!" Gohan snarled.

"Hmm, I prefer to call it _acquiring_" Daiz chuckled.

"It's _STILL _stealing!" the son of Goku accused.

The pirate shook his head "No,Kid. Stealing is merely removing objects from a person or property. _Acquiring _takes special skills and courage."

"So it's _different_ than stealing?" the confused youngster persisted.

"Most of these merchants have made their fortunes due to their loyalty to Frieza. They grow fat from Frieza's conquests and he in turn recieves tribute from them. If their pockets are lightened a bit, then some small justice has been won" Daiz declared.

Somehow Gohan could picture a angry Chi-chi shaking her finger at him and railing about how only deliquents would stoop to such behavior.

"I wouldn't expect someone with your _limited_ _training_ to be able to even grasp the situation." the green-haired pirate began.

"Hey! I could "_acquire"_ something! If I **wanted** **to**!" the six-year-old child huffed.

"_Sure you could_, _Kid_!" Daiz taunted.

"I'LL SHOW YOU!"

Daiz felt a small stab of guilt as Gohan rushed into the crowd. Turles wasn't the only one who would be guilty of corrupting the small child from Earth. But the guilt quickly dissappeared, he was a pirate after all.

As he lost sight of the boy, Daiz began to worry. Turles would be furious if the boy went missing. He plunged into the crowd in search of the little half-Saiyan. The former Crusher Corps member chuckled as Gohan slammed into a huge elephantine lifeform. He pocketed the gray behemoth's currency pouch as the timid creature apologized profusley for his clumsiness.

"The kid's a natural" Daiz mumbled to himself.

Gohan snatched a small bag from a tall thin fish-faced being. He felt a bit guilty as he took the female's possession. Suddenly he felt something else , a strange excitement coursed through him as he procured yet another currency pouch from a overfed blue- skinned rodent being.

The mischievious Earth-raised child giggled, this was starting to be fun! He whisked through the unsuspecting crowd snatching a pouch here, a bag there.

Daiz finally caught up to the little half-blood. The boy's tail was waving about excitedly. When the pirate snatched the boy up his weight had increased quite noticibly.

"Did you eat _some rocks_ this afternoon? You 're a lot heavier than you were before" the former prince puffed.

"Oh! It's probably _these_!" Gohan chortled as he held up _four currency pouches_!

"Put those away!" Daiz sputtered in surprise.

No one needed to see the blantant evidence of the boy's thievery. The Kabochan was impressed with how quickly Gohan caught on. As the child stuffed the pouches into his belt, he pulled a small bag out for Daiz's inspection.

"I'm not sure what these are. But they're awful pretty!" the youngster blurted out.

The pirate's jaw dropped in absolute disbelief as he eyed the bag's contents. Six perfectly cut pink Steralas diamonds glittered in the sunlight. Each were worth a considerable price. Turles would be beyond pleased.

"I was wrong,Kid. You're VERY good at _acquiring_!" Daiz laughed as he ruffled Gohan's hair.

"REALLY?" Gohan asked. The look in his eyes seemed desperate for approval.

"You might even be better at it then ME! Say, Let's get some Garathian chocolate before we meet up with Master Turles" Daiz suggested.

"Can we really?" the son of Goku asked eagerly.

"We sure can, Kid! You deserve it!" his green-haired crewmate declared.

...

"I have to be going, Katchia. There are some prospective new crew members on planet Marteraz that I need to confer with" Turles informed the half-Saiyan female that sat beside him.

Katchia shook her ebony tressed head and sighed "I wish you could stay for a longer visit but i understand. It's been great to see you again and thanks for the fabulous lunch."

Turles cringed at the word 'see', it didn't go unnoticed.

"Turles, Stop blaming yourself for the loss of my sight. IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT! It's because of you that I CAN SEE. Sure, my vision isn't perfect but you saved me from a world of darkness for as long as I live. I'm happy here _please believe me_" Katchia pleaded.

Tears began sliding down the blue-skinned face of his former teammate. The dark-skinned Saiyan reached over and squeezed her right hand gently.

"Don't cry, Katchia. I believe you" Turles said softly.

"You think I'm weak now right?" the female sniffed.

"I think a lot of things about you, Katchia. But I will _never_ consider you weak" the pirate commander insisted.

A mischievous smile lit the woman's face "You know, when we served together I used to have the biggest crush on you."

Turles cleared his throat as a faint blush colored his face "So t-that wasn't just a rumor?"

Katchia giggled at her former commander's obvious embarrassment and ignored his baleful glare "I never said anything because I knew you had a girl at practically _every _single base!"

"_That wasn't true_!" Turles huffed.

His former teammate looked surprised "It wasn't?"

"Of course not! On most of Frieza's bases I had _several_!"

Turles burst into laughter at the indignant look that appeared on Katchia's face and ducked as she aimed a punch to his face.

...

As their ship sped on to planet Marteraz, Turles listened to Daiz inform him of Gohan's new skill. The Saiyan was more than pleased especially with the accquisition of the Steralas diamonds.

"You're a horrible influence on a child, Daiz. _Excellent work_" Turles snickered.

"Thank you, Master Turles" Daiz chuckled.

The former prince sighed. He knew Turles would reward the boy for his thefts to encourage him to continue such exploits. Gohan was well on his way to be a true member of the crew.

Gohan had fallen asleep on the floor across one of his thick books. Daiz swallowed hard as Turles approached the snoring child. A kick from the pirate's boot would probably be used to rouse him. The Kabochan's eyes almost popped out of his head as he watched the dark-skinned Saiyan lift the boy from the floor and deposit him in his bunk.

Seeing Daiz's bemused expression as he walked back to the bridge. Turles crossed his arms over his chest and snarled "_What was I_ _supposed to do_? Leave him on the floor where we could trip over him?"

...

So what'd you think? Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

Here's chapter 9! Thanks to gohanFanfics, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, SSJ2 Silven, Ali, Panoxdakilla9, Rawrz, icewolf, Laania, and FinalFlashX9 for the reviews on chapter 8.

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or any of it's characters, Akira Toriyama does!

D/A/N: So sorry to everyone for not being able to update,review stories or to answer any pm's. My laptop's hard drive is fried and it will be some time before I can afford to have it repaired. I tried to send several pm's through my email to Fanfic but obviously they haven't reached anyone. My local library has access to Fanfic blocked so saiyansweetheart has allowed me to upload a chapter on her school computer. Please excuse any typos as she will be posting my chapter for me. Hope you enjoy this!

…..

Daiz awoke feeling the ship lurch. As he sat up in his bunk, the ship went at an angle and lurched forward once more. Had Turles managed to doze off without engaging the autopilot? If they collided with an asteroid or flew into a star….. The former prince leapt out of his bed and raced to the ship's bridge. He blinked in absolute disbelief at the sight that greeted him. Rubbing his eyes, the Kabochan looked again.

The little Earth-raised half-Saiyan was seated in the pilot's seat with his hands on the ship's controls. Turles was standing beside him giving orders in a language Daiz couldn't understand .Saiya-jin, no doubt. The pirate commander had took it upon himself to begin instructing Gohan in the Saiyan language several weeks ago.

"Approaching planet Argandasar. Do you wish to initiate landing?" a metallic voice questioned from the ship's computer.

"_Argandasar_? I thought we were going to planet….." the green-haired pirate began.

"I changed my mind" Turles said flatly.

"Do you wish to initiate landing ?" the bridge computer repeated.

"Initiate landing sequence" the dark-skinned Saiyan answered.

His jaw dropped in absolute shock as Daiz realized that Turles was trusting the landing to the son of Kakkarot! The once prince of Kabocha held his breath as Gohan brought the ship down in a blur of speed. When the ship touched down safely, Daiz finally released the breath he was holding.

"Get cleaned up for the morning meal, I have an important task for you when we return to the ship" Turles ordered.

Gohan slipped out of the pilot's seat and he froze at the next words that came from the pirate commander.

"Excellent work on the landing, Gohan."

"Th-thank you, M-master Turles" Gohan stammered.

Daiz's eyes went wide in surprise as well when he heard the approving comment. Turles hadn't used brat, half-blood or boy, he had actually used the six-year-old's name. What had brought that about?

Seeing Turles raise an eyebrow at him, Gohan quickly scampered to his room to get ready for breakfast. He could hardly wait to dig into what promised to be a sumptuous meal.

When Gohan left the bridge, the dark green-haired warrior turned to his commander "Master Turles, Is it wise to trust piloting the ship much less a landing to a child?"

Turles snorted before he replied " He is a Saiyan! At his age not only did I pilot a craft but I was responsible for purging _a_ _dozen_ _planets_."

"But he _wasn't _raised like _you_, Commander" Daiz pressed.

"Exactly. That's why I am training him _now_. Better late than never" the full-blood Saiyan quipped.

"He's picking up the Saiyan language as well. I suppose, Master Turles?" Daiz questioned.

"Indeed he is. The boy learns quickly" Turles affirmed.

Was there a bit of pride in Turles's voice just now Daiz wondered.

…

Daiz stared at the mountain of plates and bowls that gradually began to pile up before Gohan. An even greater amount was stacked before Turles. The Kabochan had eaten his fill some time ago. No matter how many times he had observed them before, the sheer appetite of the two Saiyans never ceased to amaze him. He was quite surprised to see Gohan appear in red and black Saiyan armor this morning when they prepared to leave the ship. Daiz had not purchased the child-sized armor so it had to have been Turles.

Gohan stared about as the they stepped out of the elegant restaurant that Turles had chosen. Most of planet Argandasar had once been covered by oceans. The choice of building materials for the city they had landed at reflected that history. Brilliant corals composed many of the city's structures. Enormous shells were fashioned into shops and other places of business. His sight-seeing was cut short by Turles.

"Let's get back to the ship. I have an important job for you to handle there, Brat" the onyx-eyed pirate informed the little half-Saiyan.

"Yes, Master Turles" Gohan spoke up quickly.

Daiz sighed, things were back to normal.

…

"Daiz and I have to conduct some business in a place where the presence of someone your age will simply not be tolerated. So I am going to leave you here with the task of guarding my ship. Can you handle that responsibility, Gohan?" Turles questioned.

"Yes, Commander!" Gohan shouted out excitedly. He was going to guard the entire ship!

Daiz rolled his eyes. He knew precisely what the crafty Saiyan was doing and poor Gohan was too innocent to figure it out.

"Excellent! Remember that I am trusting you to make sure no harm comes to my ship" the pirate commander declared.

"You can depend on ME, Master Turles!" the little six-year-old crowed.

When he and Turles exited the ship, the Kabochan confronted the smirking Saiyan "Master Turles, You haven't left Gohan with a guard duty assignment. You've merely locked down the ship with him still in it."

Turles laughed evily "Precisely. You and I are aware of that but the boy is not. We cannot be bothered with keeping an eye out for him while I am interviewing prospective members of our crew. He will feel useful and remain safe in the ship until we return. Hopefully we will procure some individuals who are worthy of joining us."

"What if…what if the new "crew members" you choose won't accept the boy's presence, Commander?" Daiz questioned.

"_Then they won't remain crew members_!" Turles hissed.

The former prince scratched his head. What was going on with Turles where the little half-Saiyan was concerned?

…..

So how was it? Let me know, I'll reply to reviews as soon as my laptop is repaired. Thanks for reading!

daughterofrisingsun


	10. Beware, Gohan

Here's Chapter 11! Thanks to for all the reviews on chapter 10.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

….

Daiz took a sip of his drink and shook his head as Turles rejected yet another prospective member for his crew. At the rate things were going, they'd be at this for some time. The Kabochan was actually relieved that Turles had chosen to leave Gohan behind. He would have had his hands full trying to keep an eye on the boy and the miscreants that inhabited the questionable establishment he found himself in. How had the Saiyan pirate commander even heard about this place? The former prince thought it was probably for the best that he didn't find out.

A cloaked figure approached their table and Daiz watched warily as the hood fell back to reveal a Sarnasshan. Though the being's body was of a humanoid form the rest of it differed. Small red eyes peered out from a hood of gray scaly flesh that draped down on either side of the serpentine creature's face. A thin forked tongue protruded from its' mouth as it spoke. Its' muscular arms ended in four finger-like appendages with long cruel claws. The dark-green haired pirate shuddered in revulsion. Surely Turles wouldn't choose such a monstrosity.

As luck would have it, Turles did indeed choose the Sarnasshan. Daiz sighed in disgust but otherwise kept silent. The Kabochan warrior soon found more to be concerned about than the repulsive prospective crew member. Distinctive red and blue garments with three yellow stars on each shoulder gave evidence that several officers of the Argandasarian Law Enforcement Authority were walking through the bar. No doubt they had been tipped off to Turles's presence in the unsavory drinking establishment. Considering the notorious Saiyan pirate was wanted in several sectors for piracy as well as numerous other crimes, the presence of the officers didn't bode well for them.

As Turles finished giving the location of his ship to the Sarnasshan, the creature quickly departed. Daiz lowered his voice and whispered to Turles.

"_Master Turles, We have some of the local law enforcement heading our way_."

"_Only five_? I'm insulted! " The dark-skinned Saiyan huffed.

"If there's five in _here_ then there are probably more on the way, Commander" Daiz muttered.

"Bring them on!" Turles said smugly.

The pirate crewman rolled his eyes at Turles's comment. Most might consider it arrogance on the Saiyan's part but Turles could back up his words with actions.

Daiz smirked as two of the officers stepped up to their table. The blue reptilian officer and his yellow ape-faced companion had no idea of just who they were contending with.

"For the charge of piracy and other crimes in four sectors, Turles, you are now in the custody of the Argandasarian Law Enforcement Authority. You will come quietly or we are authorized to use lethal force if necessary" the reptilian officer announced with an air of superiority.

"I suppose I _could_ go quietly…"Turles began. Daiz snickered.

"But I choose _NOT TO_!" the pirate commander finished as he blasted the two officers to oblivion .

Daiz finished off two more officers as he and Turles made a hasty exit from the bar. The single surviving officer, an orange fish-like life-form merely stood slack-jawed with terror as the two pirates slipped away. On the flight to return to their ship, it was quickly evident that the word had been put out about their escape. Several small craft were firing at them. Turles contacted Gohan as he evaded a deadly blast.

"Gohan! Start the ship engines and initiate flight sequence NOW!" Turles barked into his scouter.

"Right away, Commander!" was Gohan's response.

Daiz grinned as he shot one the pursuing ships from the sky. Instructing the little half-Saiyan on how to pilot the ship had been a wise decision on Turles's part after all.

The former prince barely missed being struck down by yet another ship but it was blasted away by Turles.

"I knew all the peace and quiet was too good to last!" Daiz growled.

"Now, now Daiz. This is part of the fun" Turles chortled as he flung a power wave that obliterated several of the Argandasarian craft.

A stunned Sarhassan watched the melee in confusion as Turles and Daiz landed at the ship under a hail of fire from even more pursuing ships.

"GET IN THE SHIP!" Turles ordered.

The Sarhassan wisely followed Daiz without question. His jaw dropped in disbelief as he caught sight of six-year-old Gohan seated in the pilot's seat.

"Y-you h-have a _CHILD_ piloting your ship?"

Turles ignored him as he ordered Gohan to relinquish his seat. Daiz quickly instructed the Sarhassan to strap himself in. He and the little Saiyan half-blood had already done Saiyan took the controls and began to fly in an evasive pattern that caused several of the Argandasarian ships to collide with each other. With his skill and the tremendous speed in which he allowed his ship to maneuver in, Turles was soon leaving Argandsar's air space with no one in pursuit.

Daiz grew uneasy as he suddenly noticed the hostile glance the Sarhassan was giving Gohan. He would make a point to keep an eye on the serpent being.

Turles flipped on the auto-pilot and slid out of the pilot's seat. He walked over to the Sarhassan and turned to Daiz and Gohan who had left their own seating.

"I suppose introductions are in green-haired gentleman is Daiz, my second in command."

Daiz snorted, no one would refer to _him_ as a "gentleman."

The Saiyan chuckled at the Kabochan's response and continued on "The boy is Gohan."

After the Sarhassan nodded the pirate commander spoke again "Daiz, Gohan, Salsir is from planet Sarhass. He'll be given a chance to earn his place on this crew. With his particular talents, he should be an asset once he proves his worth."

With that Turles turned and strode off to his private quarters leaving Daiz and Gohan with Salsir. The serpentine life-form eyed Gohan with utter disdain and he ignored the boy's friendly attempt at conversation. Shrugging his shoulders, Gohan settled in his usual spot with a thick book.

"I suppose the brat belongs to Commander Turles?" Salsir questioned.

"No. He's a half-Saiyan. We picked him up a while back" Daiz stated.

"Hmph! He should have been dumped off at the nearest orphanage or sold somewhere for a decent price" the Sarhassan hissed.

"Let's get this straight_ now_! Gohan has** earned** _his place_ on this ship. You've yet to earn_ yours_!" Daiz growled.

The Sarhassan glowered at the dark-green haired warrior but uttered not a word. His glance returned to the six-year-old and his eyes widened as Turles returned and praised the youngster for starting the ship earlier.

"We wouldn't have gotten away from Argandsar so quickly without your assistance. You've paid excellent attention to your lessons, Gohan."

"Thank you, Master Turles" Gohan spoke up quickly.

Daiz even looked on in surprise as a bright red foil package appeared in Turles's right hand. When had the Saiyan purchased the treat that Gohan was now eagerly awaiting?

Salsir sighed in exasperation, it seemed the mixed-blood even had favor with the pirate commander. Odd as he would have thought that Saiyans would despise a half-ling. At any rate the brat had to go and he would find an opportunity to be rid of him eventually…

….

So what did you think? Please let me know, I'll respond personally to reviews soon as I have access to Fanfic again.

daughterofrisingsun


	11. A Plot begins

Here's Chapter 12! ThankscChimera prime, Gohandominates, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Ali, Laania, icewolf, SSJ Silven, gohanFanfics, Isaiah Johnson, and 9th ZFighter for all of the reviews on chapter 11.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: As before,Saiyansweetheart is posting my chapter. Please excuse any typos as I'm not posting my own chapters.

…

Daiz sighed as he was awakened once again by the erratic motion of Turles's ship. He had half a mind to request that the pirate commander give Gohan lessons some other time of the day. But the Kabochan knew better than to risk Turles's anger. The dark-green haired pirate wasn't prepared for what he saw when he entered the bridge area.

Turles was standing beside the little half-Saiyan with his hands over those of the child's which were on the ship's flight controls. Then Turles pulled his hands away. Gohan was giggling and a ghost of a smile was on the full blood Saiyan's face. As he caught sight of Daiz, Turles barked a command in the Saiyan language. Gohan released his grip on the controls and slipped out of the pilot's seat and scurried to his quarters.

"_More_ lessons, Commander?" Daiz questioned.

"The boy is a natural. We should be able to entrust him to pilot the ship if need be. Even evasive maneuvers have come easily to him" Turles replied.

"Maybe he just has an excellent instructor" the pirate crewman suggested.

"Perhaps" Turles smirked.

The Sarhassan had also been roused from his sleep and he had taken in the interaction of the pirate commander and the six-year-old boy.

"_I thought this was a pirate ship not a nursery_," Salsir muttered to himself.

…

Turles landed his ship on planet Kaolir. The densely populated planet was quite tolerant of the pirate trade so he and his crew could move about freely without worry in the capitol city of Gangirs. Ornate temples and other structures made the resplendent city a feast for the eyes. Gohan struggled to see as Turles pointed out several places of interest. To the absolute shock of his crewmen, the dark-skinned Saiyan reached down and lifted Gohan up on his shoulders. But no one was more surprised than the youngster himself.

Gohan was rapt with attention as Turles pointed out the royal palace with its' beautiful spires made of pink marble that glistened against the bright blue sky. Three suns gave Kaolir its' tropical climate, enormous trees shaded the tidy walkways that made foot traffic easy in the crowded city. The Saiyan stopped at a building that was obviously a restaurant judging from the heavenly smells that emanated from it. Salsir was amazed at the speed in which they were ushered to their seats. Obviously the Saiyan pirate was well known here.

The Sarhassan had never dined in a place of such quality. He couldn't help but stare about the beautifully appointed restaurant. This must be what it felt like to be treated as royalty. Gohan was now used to the elegant places Turles chose for them to obtain their meals. His attention was focused on the meal itself.

Salsir's eyes almost popped out of his head as he took in the staggering amounts of food that Turles and Gohan consumed. He didn't even dare contemplate what the cost of the meal was going to be. It greatly annoyed him that the Saiyan allowed the brat to order anything he wished. The little pest surely wasn't worth the expense.

…

"Daiz, I will take Salsir with me and purchase some necessary items. Take Gohan with you to Gralison Market and replace his boots" Turles ordered.

"Yes, Master Turles" Daiz affirmed as he looked over at the boy. Gohan wasn't the pudgy child Turles had taken from Earth anymore. He was lean and well- muscled now with a strength that belied his appearance. The brutal training he endured had certainly produced results. This would be the third pair of boots Daiz had to purchase, the boy was growing.

Salsir scowled as he heard Turles's command, the commander certainly spoiled the brat.

Gohan eagerly followed Daiz as Turles and Salsir departed. The former pirate shook his head, Turles was using the little mixed-blood's name more and more often. He hardly ever referred to him as 'brat' or 'boy' anymore. And the earlier display from the pirate commander had Daiz questioning just how the Saiyan currently felt about the youngster.

…

Just after they had purchased Gohan's boots at Gralison Market, a small green hover-car sped by and struck the boy as it passed. Daiz swallowed hard at the sight of the motionless six-year-old lying in the street. Turles was going to be furious!

"Gohan? Gohan, Are you alright?" the green-haired warrior called out in concern.

A thin yellow humanoid life-form with short stringy blue hair, a native Kaolirian, exited the hover-car and rushed over to where Gohan was lying. Daiz could have sworn he saw the half-Saiyan wink at him.

"Oh! I struck a child! I am _SO_ sorry! _It was an accident_! I assure you! Is he alright?" the yellow being gasped.

As if on cue, Gohan moaned and then cried out in a piteous voice "Father! My leg! _IT HURTS SO MUCH!"_

The little half-Saiyan burst into tears as he rolled about holding his leg in apparent agony. Daiz glared at the now trembling humanoid.

"Please! I don't want any trouble!" the Kaolirian exclaimed. He dug into his voluminous purple garment and produced several bags of currency which he shoved into the stunned pirate crewman's hands.

"I am so sorry I injured your son! Surely this will cover any necessary medical expenses. Good day, Sir!" the yellow creature insisted as he hurried back to his hover-car and sped away.

"Is the bad man gone now, Father?" Gohan groaned.

"Yes, 'Son'" Daiz muttered sarcastically.

"Great!" Gohan chortled as he leapt to his feet completely unharmed.

"You…_you little sneak_!" the former prince laughed.

The Kabochan pirate pulled the boy with him into a secluded corner of the market where he quickly counted the money meant for Gohan's allegedly needed medical attention. He whistled as he returned the currency to the three bags.

"Seventeen-thousand zeni! That's good, huh?" Gohan crowed.

"Excellent, Squirt!" Daiz snickered.

…

Salsir glowered as Daiz related Gohan's exploit to Turles which caused the Saiyan to burst into laughter. Both the Sarhassan and Daiz nearly choked as Turles reached over and actually tousled the boy's hair.

"You're thinking like a _true pirate _now, Gohan. Now let's get back to the ship" Turles ordered.

…

A cruel smile crossed the Sarhassan's face as he entered the training room of Turles's ship. Gohan was training with Daiz as Turles looked on.

"How about we give the boy a_ real_ challenge?" Salsir offered.

Daiz gulped as the serpent being removed his clothing revealing a powerfully muscled scaly gray body. Could the boy manage to go against him? Sure he trained with Turles but the Saiyan held back his full strength. He knew for certain that Salsir would do no such thing.

Turles nodded much to the green-haired pirate's consternation. Gohan looked worried.

"You can manage, brat. _Don't hold back_ " the pirate commander ordered in the Saiyan language.

The Sarhassan chuckled evilly. He could hardly wait to give the little beast the beating of his life…

…..

So what'd you think? Please let me know!

daughterofrisingsun

…..


	12. A Truth is Revealed

Here's Chapter 12! Thanks to Chimera prime, Gohandominates, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Ali, Laania, icewolf, SSJ Silven, gohanFanfics, Isaiah Johnson, 9th ZFighter, Ese Cabron, and Panxodakilla for all the reviews on chapter 11.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

…

A/N: Chapters are still being posted for me by Saiyansweetheart. Please forgive any typos!

…

Salsir flexed his arms displaying the powerful muscles that rippled across them. He was trying to intimidate the little half-Saiyan that stood before him. The pitiful runt would soon be begging for mercy. It rankled the Sarhassan that the brat received so much favor from the Saiyan pirate commander. Salsir despised children and he didn't believe in the mixture of different species. A half-blood of any blended life-forms should not be allowed to survive, the purity of all races depended on it.

Gohan sank into a fighting stance. If Turles had confidence in him then maybe he did have a chance after all against the serpent being. What he couldn't understand was the absolute hatred he could feel emanating from the Sarhassan. Had he unwittingly done something to offend Salsir?

"Do you really think the boy has a chance with that monster, Commander?" Daiz whispered to Turles.

"If he remembers his training he'll be fine. If he surrenders to fear then he will fail" the dark-skinned Saiyan replied.

The former Kabochan prince shook his head, he didn't like the odds.

Salsir attacked in a blur of speed but his fists struck thin air as Gohan merely stepped to the side at the last possible second. Gaping in disbelief, the Sarhassan whirled about and aimed a vicious kick at the little half-blood Saiyan. Once again he missed as the six-year-old phased behind him.

"Stop hopping around and fight!" Salsir demanded.

"Okay!"

The stunned snakeling sucked in his breath painfully as Gohan's right fist struck him full in the chest. He hadn't even seen the blow coming. How could a mere child strike with such force? Before he could even recover, Salsir found his legs kicked out from under him sending him crashing to the floor.

"The brat's using his training" Turles mused.

"I thought I recognized that move, Master Turles" Daiz chuckled.

Seething with rage, the Sarhassan rose to his feet and feinted to the right. He finally succeeded in landing a blow. Gohan's head snapped back as Salsir's right fist struck him in the left temple.

"You're going to be taught a most painful lesson, you filthy half-ape!" Salsir hissed.

"Save it, snake-breath!" the son of Goku shot back.

"Disrespectful pest!" the serpent being snarled.

A rain of blows suddenly rained down on Gohan. The Sarhassan hadn't been using his full speed or strength at the beginning of the match. Salsir wrapped an arm around the youngster's neck and began to squeeze.

"I'm going to break your scrawny, worthless neck and it's going to be an unfortunate training accident. Such things happen all the time" the scaly- skinned warrior snickered.

Daiz looked at Turles, the boy was losing. Surely the Saiyan would stop the fight before Gohan was seriously injured or even killed. But the pirate commander merely watched with a smirk on his face.

"Commander,You're not going to…." The dark-green haired pirate began.

"Watch and learn, Daiz "Turles interrupted.

First desperation and then anger filled the young demi-Saiyan. He felt a sudden surge of power flow through him.

"That's it! Use your anger, Brat!" an evil smile appeared on Turles's face.

Salsir couldn't believe it when the half-blood flung him aside as if it were no effort at all. His every attack was blocked with a ferocity and speed he had never imagined a child being capable of. Where could he have learned such skills at his youthful age?

With a hoarse cry, Gohan threw the Sarhassan into the wall across from him. A sizable dent was left from the impact of the serpentine's body. Salsir lay unmoving as Gohan turned to face Daiz and Turles.

"Nice work, Brat!" Daiz called out.

"What took so long?" Turles teased. _"It took you a whole fifteen minutes_!"

Gohan looked aghast at his commander's comment but then Turles laughed.

"Excellent work, Gohan. Now get cleaned up!" the onyx-eyed Saiyan ordered.

Gohan grinned and gave a salute before he raced off to his quarters.

The dark-green haired pirate was quite aware of the pride in Turles's voice as he praised Gohan's efforts.

"You're getting fond of that boy, Commander" Daiz insisted.

"Perhaps."

Daiz was speechless as he heard Turles's reply.

…..

Salsir was beside himself as he awoke in his quarters with a throbbing head and aches and pains all over his battered form. _He was beaten by a child__!_ A miserable mixed-blood brat! The little monster was going to pay for humiliating had to be some way to make him lose favor with the commander…..

…..

When Salsir forced himself to walk out to the bridge area, the object of his frustration was seated on the floor a few feet brat had his nose buried in a book as usual. The Sarhassan shook his head in disgust. Obviously, the half-breed sought to impress the commander by devouring one thick tome after another.

"So you're _finally_ awake! Get ready for the evening meal, Salsir" Turles ordered.

"Yes, Commander" the Sarhassan replied.

Normally he would look forward to the extravagant meals he had come to expect while in the Saiyan's service. But he wondered if he would even have an appetite this evening. Salsir hadn't missed Turles stressing the word 'finally' and it enraged him.

…..

Turles didn't miss the heated glare the Sarhassan was giving Gohan as they were leaving the ship for one of Kaolir's famed eateries.

"The boy defeated you and you will NOT seek vengeance for your defeat. Am I understood, Salsir?" Turles warned.

"Yes, Master Turles" Salsir answered bitterly.

…..

Salsir momentarily put his anger aside. It wasn't worth missing a grand meal by dwelling on the little rodent. Once again he found himself astonished by the staggering amounts of food that the Saiyans could consume. How could a pint-sized child hold so much?

One of the serving women picked up a stack of empty plates from the table of the pirate crew. Her green eyes regarded Gohan and a smile lit her pretty teal- skinned face. Pushing back her long emerald hair, she turned to Turles.

"You have a very handsome son, Sir."

"I am not the boy's sire. I am merely responsible for him" Turles declared.

"My mistake, the resemblance is quite amazing, Sir" the female apologized.

Daiz looked from Turles to Gohan. Of course there were similarities; Turles strongly favored the boy's actual father.

Gohan's little shoulders slumped. He hadn't thought about his father for some time now, he realized guiltily. The six-year-old pushed his plate away. His appetite was suddenly gone. Daiz sighed as he watched the boy hang his head.

…..

A shrill cry rang out from Gohan's room. Daiz scrambled to hurry from his bed to the half-ling's quarters before he awakened Turles. No doubt the boy was having a nightmare after being reminded of his father earlier tonight.

The Kabochan pirate swallowed hard as he realized that Turles had reached the boy first. No doubt the commander would be furious that he had been awakened before the appointed hour. He stood out in the hall hoping that Turles wouldn't be too harsh with Gohan.

"What's ailing you, Brat?" Turles demanded as he strode into Gohan's room.

Gohan's face was streaked with tears, harsh sobs shook his little form beneath his covers. He feared punishment if he told the truth but he knew Turles would know if he lied to him.

"S-sorry I woke you, Commander. I-I dreamt about t-the n-night I killed my dad" the half-Saiyan choked out.

A long sigh came from the Saiyan. Daiz held his breath, this wasn't good. This wasn't good at all.

"You didn't kill your father, Gohan" Turles stated.

Daiz's eyes narrowed. Was Turles lying to the boy?

"M-master Turles, I _know _ I did! I-I had his blood all over me and my f-feet h-had…" Gohan burst into a fresh flood of tears.

"You severely injured your father when you transformed but you didn't take his life. I struck the final blow and took Kakarot's life. You merely crushed his remains" the full-blood Saiyan declared emotionlessly. "Your father fought and died as a Saiyan can take pride in that."

Gohan looked up at Turles, there was no evidence of deceit in the onyx eyes that stared back at him. He _was_ telling the truth!

A great sigh came from the little six-year-old, it felt as if an enormous weight had been taken from his shoulders. He didn't kill his father after all. Gohan had hated Turles for what he had done but for some reason he just couldn't anymore. So many awful things had happened and yet now he honestly looked forward to Turles's approval. As much as he had loved his father and still did, Goku had never spent the amount of time that Turles now spent with him. He had learned so much from the Saiyan pirate commander.

The dark-skinned Saiyan waited for the boy to lash out at him in anger. But the youngster merely nodded his head. So, he had accepted his present fate.

'_He grows more Saiyan each day'_ the pirate thought.

"W-what was _your father_ like, Master Turles?" Gohan asked.

The former prince of Kabocha smacked his forehead. That was something you _didn't_ bring up! Talk about out of the pan and into the fire!

"My father was someone who was impossible to please" Turles answered coldly.

"My mom was kinda like that. No matter how hard I studied it was never enough. She used to scold me all the time and wanted practically my every waking moment to be spent studying. When I tried to train with Dad, Mom would be furious with both of us" Gohan mused.

"It's unnatural for a Saiyan not to train!" Turles snorted.

"I guess that's why Dad snuck in some training sessions" the youngster added.

"He was simply being a Saiyan" the Saiyan pirate remarked.

"I think I'll be able to sleep now. Thanks, Commander" Gohan said sleepily.

Turles turned and started to leave the room.

"Commander?"

"What is it, Brat?"

"Good night, Master Turles."

The former commander of the Crusher Corps was silent for a moment.

"Good night, Brat!"

Daiz shook his head in disbelief and hurried back to his own quarters before he was discovered.

….

So what'd you think? Please let me know.

daughterofrisingsun


	13. Salsir's Revenge

Here's Chapter 13! Thanks to Gohandominates, SSJ2 Silven, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Chimera prime, 9thZfighter, Laania, icewolf, and Ali for all the reviews on chapter 12. Hope you guys like this new chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Saiyansweetheart is still posting my chapters. Please excuse any typos!

...

Gohan closed the book he was reading and ambled off to Turles's quarters to get another volume. Salsir watched with consternation as the boy exited the commander's room with yet another oversized book.

"_He's allowed in the commander's quarters_?" the Sarhassan muttered in disbelief.

"Yeah. He just goes in there to get another book. Gohan knows better than to touch Turles's property" Daiz affirmed.

A cruel smile lit Salsir's face. The Kabochan pirate had unwittingly given the serpent being a way to cause trouble for the little half-Saiyan.

Turles entered the bridge area and spoke to Gohan in a language that Salsir couldn't understand .Daiz had explained that Turles was instructing the six-year-old in the Saiyan language. It annoyed the snakeling that he couldn't determine what they were saying to each other.

Turles himself was quite pleased at Gohan's grasp of the ancient tongue. After only a few months, the boy was practically fluent.

"We'll be going to Zarkarest after we finish our business here" the Saiyan pirate commander informed Salsir and Daiz.

The scaly-skinned pirate realized he'd have to make his move soon. He couldn't hardly wait to see the look on the brat's face when he was held responsible for the actions the Sarhassan had committed.

….

While Turles and Daiz were gathering supplies Gohan was allowed to wander about the shop. Salsir fumed inwardly as he was loaded down with several packages and the spoiled half-ling walked about in leisure.

A chubby orange-skinned frog-like child playfully punched Gohan on the shoulder and squealed in delight as the youngster gave chase. The simple game of tag was universal. Daiz scowled and was about to reprimand the demi-Saiyan when Turles spoke up.

"Let the boy play,Daiz. He doesn't have many chances to be a child."

One could have knocked the former prince over with a feather after the full-blood Saiyan's words. Salsir was thoroughly disgusted.

Gohan dutifully picked up a bundle when the pirate crew left the shop. The Sarhassan simply ignored him. After the items were delivered to the ship Turles had two more stops to make.

In yet another business, Gohan admired several jeweled necklaces that were displayed on an open shelf. The purple-skinned, flaming red-haired woman that tended the jewelry counter was busy watching the various races that filled the streets outside. A wicked idea popped into his mind.

The son of Goku slipped four of the glittering pieces of jewelry on his arm. Still the sales associate kept on with her people watching. Six necklaces found their way into the pouch at Gohan's belt. A feeling of excitement raced through him as he exited the shop. To celebrate his successful theft, Gohan went to buy some sweets at the next stop. Finding himself a bit short on the purchase price, the mischievous half-Saiyan offered one of the necklaces he had purloined.

Gohan was delighted when the shopkeeper added several more treats to make the trade even. Daiz wanted to know how Gohan had been able to afford the bulging sack of treats. The dark green-haired pirate's eyes jaw dropped when the boy showed him what he had taken from the previous shop.

"You're getting a little _too good_ at this" Daiz chuckled.

…..

Gohan tried to share his treats with the entire crew but Salsir slunk off to his quarters. Turles grinned as the youngster informed him how he had purchased the extravagant treats. Daiz sighed in pleasure as he savored a rich_ azi_ fruit –filled piece of dark chocolate. One thing for sure, the brat had good taste!

The pirate commander was surprised to find a few of his favorites included in Gohan's stash. The boy had remembered the sweets he favored.

"Enough sweets, Brat. Get to the training room!" Turles ordered.

"Yes, Master Turles!" Gohan squealed with excitement.

…

Daiz watched as Gohan carefully performed the intricate moves in the same fashion as the elder Saiyan. He could easily see how the serving woman had mistaken the pair for father and son. The brat's hair had grown out of its' former style and it now resembled that of the Saiyan pirate. Their facial features were also similar.

Turles had shown far more patience training the boy than Daiz would have expected from his commander. Perhaps his own harsh upbringing had made Turles decide to do otherwise. Not that the sessions couldn't be quite brutal at times. Luckily for Gohan, any bruises or other minor injuries he suffered were healed within hours.

"Four more times!" Turles ordered.

Gohan performed the kata as ordered without a complaint even though he had already performed it five times already. The former prince had noticed that the little half-blood was beginning to follow orders without question even those he would rather not. It seemed the Earth-raised child would soon be replaced by a true Saiyan.

…

Tired and hungry, Gohan quickly changed into clean garments so he could ready when Daiz informed him it was time for the evening meal. It wasn't long after that the dark-green haired pirate called out for him.

No matter how many times Salsir observed them, he still couldn't fathom how Turles and the little half-breed were able to devour the amount of food they consumed. The serpent being was further appalled when the Saiyan commander made the announcement that the brat had paid for the meal. It was just another ploy for favor, Salsir was certain of it.

….

Gohan finished reading _'Constellations Of The Southern Quadrant'. _He closed the thick volume and scurried off to get another book from Turles's quarters. When the six-year-old entered the room he gasped in horror. Sets of armor, boots and other personal possessions of the Saiyan pirate commander littered the floor. It seemed as if a great wind had scattered the entire contents of the room.

_Who would do such a thing_?

Before Gohan could get over his shock, he heard an angry growl behind him. The little half-Saiyan shuddered as he turned to face an absolutely livid Turles!

"_What have __**you**__ done, Brat_?" Turles snarled.

"Master Turles! I-I…" Gohan stammered.

"Go to your quarters" Turles said with an edge to his voice.

"B-but, C-Commander…."the boy started.

"GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" the Saiyan pirate roared.

The terrified youngster fled from the room. Hearing angry shouts, Daiz hurried to the commander's room. His jaw dropped as he caught sight of the shambles that were once Turles's immaculate quarters.

"_This is how the brat repays my trust_" Turles growled.

"Commander, Don't be_ too_ harsh with your punishment" Daiz tried to reason with the angry Saiyan.

The Kabochan pirate swallowed hard at Turles's reply.

"I'm not carrying out his punishment, Daiz. _You are_!"

Daiz dejectedly left the pirate commander's quarters. There was no telling what Gohan was going to suffer. Suddenly the former prince caught sight of the evil smile on the Sarhassan's face. He remembered their earlier conversation.

"_Gohan knows better than to touch Turles's property_"

A sick feeling came over the dark green-haired pirate. Salsir was the real culprit! And _he_ was the fool who had given the serpentine monstrosity the opportunity to cause Gohan harm.

How was the boy going to get out of this?

...

So what do you think? Please let me know!


	14. The Punishment

Here's Chapter 14! Thanks to Ryo-chan wolfgirl, SSJSilven, Parselmaster, Icewolf, Ali, Gohandominates, Nimarin Driggen, gohanFanfics, Panxodilla, Laania, and Chimera prime for all the reviews on chapter 13. Over one hundred reviews! Whoo Hoo! Thanks everyone!

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Yes, Saiyansweetheart is STILL posting my chapters!

….

Gohan sat shivering in his room. What would Turles do to him? It was so unfair, he'd only wanted another book to read. He'd never imagined that he would walk into complete chaos in the pirate commander's quarters. Who had caused such an awful thing to occur and why?

_Salsir_! Of course! It was the serpent being's doing! The little half-Saiyan balled up his fists in helpless fury. Turles clearly believed _he_ was responsible. Gohan blinked back tears of frustration. Why did the Sarhassan hate him so much? As harsh as the dark-skinned pirate could be, Turles had treated him as kindly as he could expect from a full-blooded Saiyan. Now any trust between them was broken.

Daiz silently entered Gohan's room and sat beside the distraught youngster. A deep sigh came from the former royal.

"I know you didn't cause that disaster in the commander's room, Squirt. And I'm afraid it's my fault that it happened at all" the dark green-haired pirate mused.

"How could it be _your_ fault?" the son of Goku questioned.

Daiz bowed his head as he spoke "Salsir was apparently appalled by the fact that you were allowed to enter Master Turles's quarters. I assured him that you knew better than to touch the commander's personal property."

Gohan swallowed hard "So he set me up!"

"So it seems" Daiz answered.

"BUT I DIDN'T DO IT! Why won't the commander believe me?" the six-year-old exclaimed.

The Kabochan warrior gave the boy a sad smile "Trust is a very fragile thing when it comes to Master Turles."

"DAIZ!"

Daiz leapt to his feet as the Saiyan's livid voice rang out. So Turles's anger towards the little half-blood hadn't cooled in the least. As he walked out to face his commander, the concerned crewman noticed Salsir. The brazen snakeling smirked at him. Obviously the Sarhassan was enjoying the Earth-raised Saiyan's plight. What had the boy ever done other than to defeat Salsir in an honest spar?

"I have decided the brat's punishment, Daiz" Turles announced.

"Yes, Master Turles" Daiz replied.

The pirate glared at Salsir. If only he could get his hands on that filthy snake for falsely accusing Gohan. What he wouldn't give to knock that smirk off that scaly gray face!

"Bring the boy out to face the penalty for his actions" the Saiyan commander declared ominously.

"Master Turles.." Daiz began.

"_Are you refusing an order_?" Turles hissed.

"Of course not, Commander! I'll fetch him immediately!" Daiz spoke up quickly.

In no time at all Gohan stood before the furious Saiyan. He fought to keep his legs from trembling. Soulless onyx eyes bored into the frightened child. The dark green-haired male whispered in his ear.

"Whatever you do. Don't show fear, Gohan."

The boy squared back his shoulders and looked Turles directly in the eye. Turles responded by crossing his arms across his chest and uttered a fearsome growl.

"Hand me the box on the left shelf above the pilot's seat, Salsir" the pirate commander ordered.

"Yes, Commander" Salsir simpered. Oh, how he was enjoying this!

Daiz paled at the sight of the box that was now held by Turles. He knew what it contained. Surely Turles wouldn't expect him to…..

Salsir could hardly contain his delight as he watched the Saiyan lift a laser-whip up in his right hand. Now the little pest would pay for daring to humiliate him!

Gohan's eyes were wide as saucers when the device in Turles's hands sizzled and crackled with a hellish blue light. Did Turles truly mean to strike him with that horrid thing?

"You'll do the honors, Daiz!" Turles commanded.

The Kabochan ignored the stricken look in the boy's eyes as he took the instrument of torture from his commander.

"Ten lashes!" the dark-skinned Saiyan decreed.

"Remove your armor and your under-shirt, Gohan" Daiz said softly.

"M-Mr. D-Daiz, You're not r-really going to…" the little demi-Saiyan pleaded.

'_It's better that I do this, Brat. You wouldn't survive ONE lash from Turles_ " Daiz warned under his breath.

Gohan sighed as he bared his small back and stood up as straight as possible. He hoped he could bear his punishment considering he could already feel the heat emanating from the laser-whip. Salsir was beside himself with glee. That overprotective green-haired oaf was going to have to punish the brat himself. The Sarhassan couldn't wait to hear the boy's screams.

"NOW,DAIZ!" Turles demanded.

Daiz forced himself to swing up his arm and let the whip fly. Gohan grit his teeth praying he wouldn't cry out. Turles pushed the boy aside at the last possible second, the laser-whip fell harmlessly to the floor.

'_How could he possibly move so quickly? Why would he stop a punishment he ordered himself?' _Salsir wondered in exasperation.

Confusion registered in the pirate's face as Daiz turned to Turles. Why had he stopped the punishment?

Gohan stood still. He was too frightened to move.

"Salsir! What do you know of the Saiyan race?" Turles demanded.

What did that have to do with anything? The Sarhassan wondered.

"You will answer me, Salsir!" the Saiyan growled.

"Well, C-Commander, the Saiyans are extremely p-powerful fighters. T-They heal rapidly when injured even gain strength from a p-previous injury…" Salsir stammered.

"Have you not heard of the acute sense of smell all Saiyans possess?" Turles questioned as a cruel smirk crossed his face.

"I can't say I have, Master Turles" Salsir said nervously. Why was the commander looking at him like that?

"That's quite obvious" Turles said with an evil sounding laugh.

"I don't understand, Commander" the snakeling remarked.

"It's quite simple really. YOUR scent was all over my possessions NOT Gohan's!"

Salsir backed away slowly "M-Master Turles, You don't understand. You need to be rid of him! That brat is an abomination! A filthy half-breed! Such a vile creature doesn't deserve to live, the purity of all races depends on it!"

"You _already knew_ it wasn't Gohan's fault, Commander?" Daiz said in an almost accusatory tone.

"Yes" the Saiyan said flatly.

"Then why would you put us through this?" the former prince wanted to know.

"I discovered my crew is made up of a most obedient second in command, a very brave Saiyan child and a_ traitor_!" Turles snarled.

Salsir attempted to flee but Turles phased in behind him. As he seized The Sarhassan, Turles began to form a ki-blast in his left hand.

"You're not even worth the effort of a blast!" Turles snorted.

Salsir found his throat being crushed by the Saiyan pirate's powerful right hand. His eyes bulged in panic and he vainly clawed at the vise-like grip that was slowly squeezing the life from him. The snakeling dropped to his knees.

"Master Turles, Please! Please don't kill him!" Gohan implored the irate Saiyan.

"Why do you care about this worthless scum? Do you even realize what could have happened to you because of his lies?" Turles challenged the boy.

"I-I know but my father always said everyone deserves a second chance. I believe that too. Please, Master Turles?" the son of Goku pleaded.

The dark-skinned Saiyan scowled at Gohan and looked down at Salsir as if he were considering ending the repulsive creature's life under the heel of his boot. Then he glanced back at Gohan.

"N-No! No! Just kill me and be done with it! I WON'T OWE MY LIFE TO A WORTHLESS MIXED-BLOOD!" Salsir screamed as his erstwhile master loosened his grip.

A wicked grin lit the Saiyan male's face. Turles violently flung the gray scaled warrior into the far wall. Daiz walked over to the motionless Sarhassan. Salsir was still breathing. The commander had actually spared the snake being's life!

"Daiz, Throw out the trash!" Turles growled.

"With pleasure, Master Turles!" Daiz called out with a wide smile.

The pirate tossed the unconscious serpentine life-form out of the ship's entrance. Salsir hadn't been permitted to live out of mercy, he would suffer greatly knowing he was beholden to Gohan for every breath he drew.

Gohan stood watching Turles for a moment. So the gruff-voiced Saiyan had never really intended to hurt him at all! Salsir had been tricked into revealing his treachery by the cunning pirate.

Turles walked over to the pilot's chair and sat down with a sigh. Daiz held his breath when he saw Gohan race over and throw his arms around the Saiyan's neck. What would Turles do?

A strange look crossed the pirate commander's face for a moment before he snatched the boy away.

"_**NEVER**__ DO THAT AGAIN, BRAT_! Get your clothing on! We're heading to Zarkarest!" Turles barked.

Daiz laughed softly. Things were going back to normal.

…

So what'd you think? Please let me know!


	15. The Newcomer

Here's Chapter 15! Thanks to Ryo-chan wolfgirl, SSJ2 Silven,Nimarin Driggen, Chimera prime, Ali, 9thZFighter, icewolf, Gohandominates, Laania, and gohanFanfics for all the reviews on chapter 14.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Saiyansweetheart is still YET posting my chapters for me. Please excuse any typos!

…..

"We're still going to Zarkarest, Commander? It would be nothing for Salsir to cause problems for us there" Daiz commented.

"I have no fear of that fool. Besides, we'll only be there long enough to pick up our newest crewman" Turles replied.

The Kabochan was startled at the Saiyan's reply. He wasn't even aware that Turles had selected another member for their crew. Strange, the commander wasn't usually so secretive.

….

The brilliant lavender skies of planet Zarkarest had Gohan gazing up in awe. Life-forms of every description bustled about the busy spaceport. Gohan had never imagined that so many different kinds of spacecraft existed. It was hard for the little half-Saiyan to decide where to look first. And of course he had to keep up with Daiz and Turles.

Turles stopped at Bay 44 and appeared to be waiting for someone. In a few moments, a huge burly figure wearing a robe of shaggy brown fur lumbered into view. Bushy black hair wreathed a weathered face that wore a matching thick beard. The son of Goku noticed a smile slowly spread over Daiz's face.

"Gartoas? You worthless Kardangan! Don't tell me we're gonna be saddled with you!" the former prince called out.

" Yer' lucky to be breathin' the same air as me, Kabochan trash!" the newcomer shouted back as he waved a bronze-skinned fist in a threatening manner.

"Glad to see the two of you getting along so well already" Turles said dryly.

"Surprised to see ya still out and about, Turles! Thought somebody woulda' nailed yer' hide by now!" Gartoas chuckled.

"Not yet, Gartoas. The reward is still available" the dark-skinned Saiyan quipped.

"It's mighty temptin' to report ya and collect it ya know" the husky being mused.

"You're welcome to try but you'd be on your way to Hell before you could raise the alarm" the onyx eyed warrior challenged.

"Aw, Ya never could take a joke!" Gartoas snorted.

The Kardangan noticed the very confused six-year-old staring from one male to the other.

"Who's the runt? One of yer' womenfolk drop him off on ya?" the beefy being chortled.

"Picked him up along the way" Turles informed him.

"Getting' charitable now in yer' old age, are ya?" Gartoas teased.

"Not hardly!" the Saiyan commander growled.

Daiz turned to Gohan "This waste of space is Gartoas. He used to be part of our original crew before…."

"That's not a story fit fer' a youngster's ears, Daiz!" the bearded warrior spoke up quickly.

"True!" Turles echoed.

"The brat is known as Gohan" Daiz chuckled.

"Let's get going!" the Saiyan pirate barked.

"Same ol' Turles! Always in a blasted hurry!" the Kardangan grumbled.

….

Gohan decided he liked the newest member of Turles's crew. The rough voiced Kardangan was full of amusing stories and he knew just how much he could get by with when it came to Turles.

Daiz was happy to have a former comrade as part of the crew. But the dark green-haired pirate was curious about their abrupt departure from Zarkarest, Turles had barely given them time to board the ship when he tore out of the spaceport in a blur of speed.

"We've got company, Commander!" Gohan shouted.

Turles scowled as he spotted three rapidly approaching ships bearing down on them on the observation screen.

"Friends of yours, Gartoas?" the Saiyan demanded.

"Ah would'n exactly call 'em friends, Master Turles" Gartoas chuckled.

"What did you do _this time_?" Daiz huffed.

"Nothin' much. Just a wee bit of a misunderstandin' at one of the local waterin' holes. Ah mistook an officer's wife fer' a…a…" the massive Kardangan glanced at Gohan.

"Well, Ah mistook the missus for a lady of…ah…evening leisure so ta' speak" Gartoas finished.

Both Turles and Daiz burst into laughter.

"Hey! The nasty scuffle afterwards left er' a widow, ya know!"

"No wonder you wanted to leave Zarkarest so quickly!" the pirate commander mused.

"Just bringin' some excitement to yer ' routine, Commander" the bearded pirate snickered.

The former Kabochan royal rolled his eyes. Life wasn't going to be dull with Gartoas aboard.

"Strap yourselves in! I have some hangers-on to lose!" Turles commanded.

His crew hurriedly obeyed. As the ship blasted away at top speed, the following craft disappeared in the starry distance.

"This ol' crate can still getta ' move on, eh Daiz?" Gartoas smirked.

…

The Kardangan watched in utter disbelief as Gohan ingested his breakfast. How could so small a child hold so much food? He was used to Turles's appetite but he hadn't a clue that a youngster could devour such quantities.

"_And I thought Ah could put it away_" Gartoas muttered.

"You'll get used to it" Daiz sighed.

"Naw! Not such a little one eatin' like that! "

…

Gohan lay sprawled on the ship floor with a huge book as was his habit when he completed the duties assigned to him. Gartoas scratched his head at the sight.

" Turles makin' that boy study so much?"

"Actually, Gohan reads everything he can get his hands on" Daiz informed him.

"Pshaw! Too mucha that book learnin' and he'll be gettin' too big fer' his britches!" the burly pirate warned.

"He's a good kid."

Gartoas didn't miss the obvious concern in his fellow crewman's voice.

"Ya don't know what Turles gots planned for im'. Best not be gettin' attached, Daiz."

'_Too late for that!'_ Daiz thought.

…

Gohan was left to 'guard' the ship on planet Gurgados. He was completely unaware of the total purge that his fellow crewmates were performing on the planet…..

…

Turles landed his ship at a small lonely outpost on planet Yagers. His crew followed as he entered a small gray building, a strange bored looking creature sat at a great metallic desk.

"Commander Turles! We have been expecting you! You left nothing alive on Gurgados?" the silver- armored elephantine being questioned Turles.

"Nothing remains on Gurgados but scorched earth" Turles affirmed.

"Not a blade o' grass" Gartoas chimed in.

"Excellent! I assume our agreed upon fee for a total purge still applies, Commander?" the pudgy life-form questioned.

"Yes" the Saiyan replied.

_Total purge?_

The little Saiyan half-blood was totally aghast at the words that seemed to echo in his mind. He had actually enjoyed the last few months as part of Turles's crew and now this?

Gohan gave Daiz a stricken look. Thousands must have died as he sat waiting for his teammates to return to the ship.

"You don't understand, Squirt. We only…" Daiz tried to explain during their departure but the six-year-old ignored him.

"Warned ya not to be gettin' attached" Gartoas spoke up earning him a glare from the dark green-haired warrior.

…..

So what did you think? Please let me know!


	16. Gohan's Tantrum

Here's Chapter 16! Thanks to SSJ2 Silven, Ali, Gohandominates, icewolf, 9thZFighter, Vic 'Cody' Seville, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Nimarin Driggen, gohanFanfics, Laania, and Chimera prime for all the reviews on chapter 15.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Yes! Chapters are STILL being posted by Saiyansweetheart! Forgive any typos please!

….

Gohan moved the food about his plate but consumed nothing. Although it smelled absolutely mouth-watering, the little half-Saiyan had no appetite.

"_Gohan! You have to eat__** something**__!"_ Daiz warned in a whisper.

The Kabochan pirate was rewarded with a disdainful glance from the boy and nothing more. Daiz looked worriedly in Turles's direction if the Saiyan noticed Gohan wasting his food…

"_Best be mindin' ya own business, Daiz_!" Gartoas hissed as he gave the green-haired pirate a kick in the left shin.

"Is your selection not to your taste, Brat?" Turles demanded.

Daiz was barely able to swallow the morsel he'd placed in his mouth. Turles_ had_ noticed!

A metallic sound revealed the eating utensil falling from the six-year-old 's trembling hand.

"I-I'm not h-hungry, M-Master Turles" Gohan spoke up quickly.

"Nonsense! You're a Saiyan. Choose something else if what you chose isn't to your liking" the dark skinned warrior suggested.

"Sure spoils the brat, don't he now?" the Kardangan muttered under his breath.

Gartos found himself receiving a swift kick in the right shin from Turles!

"I SAID I'M** NOT** HUNGRY!" Gohan screamed as he slammed his little fist on the table.

'_Brat's a goner fer' sure_!' the burly bronze-skinned pirate thought to himself.

Daiz could only hope that Turles would forgive Gohan's untimely outburst.

"You will cease to be an embarrassment immediately, Brat!" Turles snarled.

"Master Turles…." Daiz began.

"_I will handle this_!" the Saiyan pirate growled.

Gohan turned pale at the murderous glare the Saiyan full-blood directed towards him. What would happen now?

"You will calm yourself, Brat and you _WILL_ eat a portion of something! Do not make it so that I have to_ assist_ you. That would prove **most unpleasant** for you!" Turles warned.

The frightened six-year-old kept his eyes glued to the plate before him. After forcing down a single bite, sheer hunger compelled him to devour the contents of his plate. He silently cursed his Saiyan blood for overriding his conscience. How could he enjoy a leisurely meal after what had occurred?

"Much better, Brat!" the dark-skinned Saiyan huffed as he returned to finishing his own meal.

"Ya must be leadin' a charmed life, Brat. The Turles Ah know woulda' ripped out ya tongue and ate it in fronta ya fer' a sassin' like ya' pulled and he wouldna' thought a thing bout' doin' so!" Gartoas informed Gohan as they left the lavish restaurant Turles had chosen for their noon meal.

The son of Goku fought to swallow the lump in his throat. What would Turles do when they returned to the ship?

…

Gohan kept his eyes averted but he could feel those of the angry Saiyan boring into him.

"Make no mistake about it, Brat. I will NOT tolerate behavior such as you exhibited earlier. Your manners are to be impeccable when you accompany me in public. Is that clear?" Turles demanded.

"Y-Yes, C-Commander!" the little demi-Saiyan answered quickly.

"Now to make _sure_ you remember that….." the pirate commander began.

Gohan nibbled his lower lip nervously. What punishment would he have to endure?

"You will clean the floor of the hall leading to the sleeping quarters, Brat" Turles announced.

That didn't sound so bad. The youngster let out a sigh of relief.

"I will check your work when you have completed your task. I'll expect to see my reflection on that floor" the dark-skinned Saiyan declared with a smirk.

Gohan gulped. Now _that_ would take a lot of effort.

…

'_Finally done!' _Gohan thought. His little arms were sore and his knees ached. He'd only been allowed to use a small rag to clean the immense floor. What he would have given for a mop! The weary youth went to find Turles to approve his work.

As Turles walked about observing the gleaming floor, Gohan waited for his response. A cruel smile appeared on the pirate's face and the six-year-old's eyes widened in horror when he noticed the black streaks from Turles's boots marring the once pristine floor.

"CLEAN IT AGAIN!" Turles barked.

Tears welled up in Gohan's eyes as he set to work AGAIN!

…

As the exhausted half-blood flopped onto his bunk he heard Daiz calling out "Time for the evening meal, Squirt!"

A low moan came from the boy as he forced himself to stand up.

….

To his inner disgust, Gohan was ravenous when he sat down at the food laden table before him. A pile of plates and bowls quickly amassed in front of him. He still ignored Daiz much to the dark-green haired pirate's chagrin. Turles gave him a nod of approval and returned his attention to his own meal.

…

Gohan started to head for his room when he was stopped by Turles.

"You will explain the reason for your little tantrum today, Brat" the former commander of the Crusher Corps insisted.

"G-Guargados! Y-You k-killed everyone there, Master T-Turles!" the boy choked out.

The onyx eyed Saiyan crossed his arms over his chest "So _that's_ what you've been pouting about?

"H-How could you, Commander?" Gohan whined.

"We were offered an ample wage for a simple task, Brat" Turles answered coldly.

"_Wiping out an entire civilization is a simple task to you_?" the little half-Saiyan asked in disbelief.

"Watch your tone, Boy! And you will address me properly!" Turles said irately.

"S-Sorry, Commander!" Gohan amended quickly.

"Guargados won't be the only planet we will purge, there will be others eventually. It's part of what we do, we're pirates. But there is something you should know about the Guargados purge. Only polluted skies, dying vegetation and diseased animal life remained on that planet. The sentient beings of that world were wiped out long ago by a virus to which Daiz, Gartoas and myself are immune to. The citizens of planet Yagers wished to have the planet purged so they might restore Guargados and relieve the strain of their own overpopulated planet" the Saiyan warrior informed the son of Goku.

"I didn't know that, Master Turles" the boy said softly.

"You're still young and have much to learn, Gohan. The day will come when you will have to take a life and you'll actually_ enjoy_ doing so" Turles declared.

"N-NO! I couldn't _possibly_ do that, Commander!" Gohan protested.

"You're a Saiyan and your blood will assert itself eventually" the Saiyan pirate commander laughed cruelly.

The young child bowed his head in sheer misery.

A long sigh came from Turles "You're dismissed, Brat!"

…..

Daiz was waiting at the entrance of Gohan's room when the tired youngster shuffled in toweling his hair dry. The Kabochan took the liberty of entering the sleeping quarters.

"You got off easy, Kid. Don't push your luck with Turles" the dark green-haired pirate advised.

"I know. Sorry about how I acted" Gohan apologized.

Daiz chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair" It's alright, Squirt. I understand."

The boy sat on the edge of his bunk, his small shoulders were slumped. He looked completely lost.

Against his better judgment, the former prince gave the six-year-old an awkward hug. The affection-starved youth suddenly clung to him. Daiz gave the little half-blood a few pats on the back and pulled away.

"Do what you must to survive, Gohan. Now get some sleep."

….

So what did you think? Please let me know!


	17. Raychalla

Here's Chapter 17! Thanks to Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Chimera prime, SSJ2 Silven, Ali, Gohandominates, icewolf, 9thZFighter, Nimarin Driggen for all the reviews on chapter 16.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Yep! Saiyansweetheart is posting my chapters!

…

Gohan shook his head as Gartoas stomped into the bridge area scowling at Daiz. It seemed as if the two were locked into a pattern of constant arguments.

"Ah got stuck loadin' the ship _agin'_while ya was out sight seein' with the brat!" the Kardangan complained.

"I was purchasing the boy some clothing on Halsnor not having a holiday!" Daiz shot back.

"Ya took ya sweet time bout' it didn' ya?" Gartoas huffed.

"It took a while! And why am I even bothering to….." the dark-green haired warrior began.

"Would the two of you like me to stop somewhere so you can make your relationship official?" Turles called out from the pilot's seat.

Daiz turned red and sputtered at Turles's remark.

"Now Master Turles, Was such a thing called fer' now?" the burly bearded pirate protested.

The little half-Saiyan stifled a giggle behind the book he was reading. He looked over at Turles and he could have sworn that the commander gave him a wink.

Turles had a point, the two pirate crewmen squabbled like an old married couple Gohan thought to himself. A snicker escaped the small boy earning him a baleful glare from the massive Kardangan.

…..

After a hearty breakfast on planet Feldarion, Turles had his crew board the ship to prepare to set off for planet Quarshrim. But something was wrong. An acidic sulfur-like smell reached the Saiyan pirate commander.

"GET OUT OF THE SHIP! NOW!" Turles roared.

Daiz snatched up a startled Gohan who clung to the book he grabbed as the Kabochan swept him off his feet. Gartoas was already exiting the ship. Who knew the burly pirate could move so fast?

No sooner had the pirate crew gotten clear of the ship then a series of explosions tore through the ship. Flames curled through where the crew had stood just moments before. Daiz sighed, the ship was the last bit of the Crusher Corp's legacy. It had been created by the Beenz brothers, Lakasei and Rasin.

"Where's the brat?" Turles suddenly demanded.

Daiz stopped his musing and looked frantically about. Had the boy run off somewhere to escape?

"Blasted lil' fool! He's gone back ta' the ship!" Gartoas shouted.

A shudder went through the former prince and he started toward the ship. He was stopped by the dark-skinned Saiyan.

"I'll get the brat!" Turles growled.

"Master Turles! Are ya mad? The boy's done fer'!" the bearded pirate exclaimed.

Daiz held his breath as Turles disappeared behind a wall of smoke and flames.

"Are ya _sure_ that brat's not his?" the Kardangan huffed.

…

Turles found a coughing Gohan lying just inside the ship's entrance. Though overcome by the thick smoke , the boy held two items tightly under his little arms. It was no effort at all for the Saiyan warrior to scoop up the small child and quickly move away from the ship. A final explosion completely obliterated the pirates' craft. Daiz breathed a deep sigh of relief as he realized the half-Saiyan was safe.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Daiz scolded.

"Wasn' a thing on the ship that couldna' been bought agin'!" Gartoas barked.

"Y-Yes …there ….was!" Gohan choked out through a spasm of coughs.

The Saiyan pirate commander raised an eyebrow as he recognized the thick book under Gohan's left arm. It was the very first book he had purchased for the boy, so the book meant something to the brat. But it was the item under the little half-blood's right arm that brought a genuine smile to Turles's face. A small basket of shriveled dried fruit-it was the seed for the Tree of Might! The past few months had been so eventful that he'd almost forgotten about it.

"Well done, Gohan" Turles rumbled.

"I get the feelin' I'm missin' somethin'" Gartoas snorted.

Daiz couldn't help but laugh. The Kardangan had no idea how valuable those seeds were to the full-blood Saiyan.

"Get the brat looked over, Daiz" Turles ordered.

"Breathin' a bit o' smoke ain't gonna kill 'im!'" the beefy bearded pirate scoffed.

"I _SAID_ have him looked over" the Saiyan snarled.

"Right away, Master Turles!" the dark-green-haired warrior spoke up quickly.

"Fussin' over the brat so! Ah swear the brat's his pup!" Gartoas grumbled when Turles strode away.

…..

"So now whatta we goin' ta' do, Commander?" Gartoas wanted to know.

"I have enough for a shuttle to Kagerish. We'll be able to replace our ship there" Turles informed him.

"You mean you're going to….."Daiz began.

"Surely ya not gonna beg that blasted_ woman_ fer' help are ya now? She'll be tryin' ta' get er' claws in ya!" the massive bronze-skinned pirate interrupted.

"We're in Raychalla's sector, it only makes sense to request her assistance" Turles insisted.

"Kami be helpin' us all! That she-devil's not ta' be trusted!" Gartoas sighed heavily.

Daiz shook his head. They needed a ship for sure but even he didn't relish the idea of obtaining one from Raychalla. She was the self-proclaimed pirate queen of the Northeastern Sector.

…

Kagerish was a lush green planet with clear pink skies lit by two suns. Turles and his crew were quickly ushered into what appeared to be a craggy cave from the outside but was an opulent palace from within. Gohan looked about in awe at the resplendent throne room. Priceless thick carpets cushioned the pirates' feet as they walked over the polished cream colored floor. Exotic animal hides decorated the walls that were constructed from rare woods. An onyx throne sat in the center of the room.

The regal being that was seated upon the throne was unlike any the son of Goku had ever observed before. Long silky white hair framed the delicately sculpted face of a pale-skinned female with eyes of the most brilliant blue the little half-Saiyan had ever seen. A luxurious black spotted white pelt hung about her shoulders, soft pink silk comprised the elegant gown that sheathed her curvaceous form. Knee-high white boots encased her feet and a great sword with a red gemstone encrusted hilt lay across the woman's lap. The six-year-old's eyes widened as he realized the female's hair swept down to her feet.

A squat blue-skinned reptilian being bowed before the woman "Queen Raychalla, These three humbly request an audience with you."

Turles gave a dramatic sweeping bow as he made his way to the throne. He was followed by a less imposing Daiz and Gartoas gave a stiff imitation of the Kabochan. Gohan quickly bowed as properly as he imagined doing so. A smile lit the woman's face as she took in the sight of the Saiyan pirate.

"Turles! So nice to see your handsome face again! Have you finally come to join us here? We could use someone ….with your particular talents" the pirate queen said in a honeyed voice.

"As tempting as that would be, I have business elsewhere to attend to, Raychalla" Turles replied.

"Only livin' soul that gets by callin 'er by name!" Gartoas growled under his breath.

"Still charming as ever, Gartoas!" the queen huffed. "I see you haven't managed to get killed off yet, Daiz."

"I've been fortunate, your Majesty" the former prince stated politely.

"And who is….Come here child!" Raychalla motioned to Gohan. He looked apprehensively at the Saiyan pirate commander who gave him a nod.

The little half-Saiyan slowly walked over to the throne. A soft hand stroked his now lengthy spiky hair.

"He's absolutely_ adorable_, Turles! I suppose you're attached to someone now" the female sighed in obvious disappointment.

"I am not attached to anyone nor am I the brat's sire, I'm merely responsible for him" the dark-skinned Saiyan insisted.

"Really?" the pirate queen brightened. She dismissed the boy and turned her attention back to Turles.

"Why _are_ you here, Turles?" Raychalla asked.

"I wish to purchase a ship."

"But what happened to that wonderful ship those two little imps made for you?" the ivory-haired female asked.

"We were on Feldarion when someone dropped Grelsarian explosive charges wrapped in an acidic base that ate through the exterior hull of the ship….." Turles began.

"Someone certainly planned on getting rid of you. I am most gratified that you escaped any harm" Raychalla interrupted. "Now where are my manners? You must be tired from your journey and I'll have a grand meal prepared. We'll discuss the business of a ship later"

"As you wish" Turles agreed with another expressive bow. Gartoas rolled his eyes.

'_I hope you know what you're doing, Commander' _" Daiz thought.

…

So what do you think? Please let me know!


	18. The Choice

Here's Chapter 18! Thanks to Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Chimera prime, SSJ2 Silven, Ali, Gohandominates, icewolf, 9thZFighter, and Nimarin Driggen for all the reviews on chapter 17.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Sadly Saiyansweetheart is STILL posting my chapters for now!

…

"If ya ask me, Commander, ya takin' leave of yer' senses trustin' that woman" Gartoas warned.

"I don't recall asking your opinion on the matter" Turles growled.

"Master Turles, Surely you can purchase a ship and we could be on our way" Daiz suggested.

"We will depart when _I _decide!" the Saiyan pirate commander barked.

Gohan kept quiet as he wondered what was making Turles seem so annoyed with Daiz and Gartoas.

"I 'm going to get a bit of rest before the meal, I suggest you do the same" Turles advised as he made his way out of the quarters assigned to his crew. Of course, the Saiyan was given a room of his own.

Gartoas sighed "She's weavin' er' spell on im' already."

"She can't make Turles do anything he doesn't want to, Gartoas" Daiz remarked.

"What he's gonna be wantin' gots me worried" the burly Kardangan mused.

Gohan looked about the huge room a servant had shown them into a few moments ago. The walls were a soft blue and a plush carpet of the same hue covered the floor. Three great beds covered with thick white spreads were the only furnishings in the room. The son of Goku bounced onto one of the beds. It seemed he had barely drifted off when Daiz shook him awake and notified him that the meal was going to be served.

….

The pirate queen entered the great dining hall on the arm of the Saiyan pirate commander. He seemed to ignore the presence of his crew as if he was completely taken with the sight of the woman on his arm.

Daiz couldn't blame Turles in the least. Queen Raychalla was a vision in a gown of liquid silver, a small intricate crown of silver and onyx stones rested on her head. Her luxurious long white hair fanned out behind her like an ivory curtain. Gartoas shook his head in disgust, the royal witch had certainly cast her spell.

"_She sure is pretty!"_ Gohan whispered.

"So are Calla snakes 'afore they be sinkin' their fangs inta ya!" the Kardangan pirate huffed.

"_Shut it before Turles hears you_!" Daiz warned.

Gohan's attention was suddenly overtaken by the absolute feast that filled the huge table before them. Huge platters contained succulent meats, luscious fruits and vegetables and tempting desserts. He could hardly wait to dig into the sumptuous repast.

Gartoas scowled as Turles took a seat next to the queen .The Kabochan pirate swallowed hard as Raychalla directed Gohan to the other seat beside her. Would the queen insist that they leave the little half-Saiyan behind? Would Turles allow such a thing?

A servant seated Daiz and Gartoas across from Turles and his royal companion. Daiz kicked Gartoas in the left calf as he snorted when the pirate queen brushed Turles's shoulder as she reached for the wine goblet in front of her.

"It's not often that I have guests that I can truly enjoy entertaining. Now please enjoy your meal" Queen Raychalla insisted as she raised her glass.

Turles and his crew raised their own glasses in a salute to the queen. Gartoas lifted his a bit higher after he received a glare from the Saiyan commander.

"Now she's a workin' on bewitchin' th' brat!" the burly bearded pirate growled to the former Kabochan royal.

Daiz grimaced as he watched the queen smiling sweetly at the youngster beside her. She was pointing out particular delicacies for him to sample and tousling the boy's hair.

Raychalla returned her attention to Turles "The boy truly isn't yours'? You wouldn't lie to me about such a thing would you, Turles?"

The dark-skinned Saiyan gave a long sigh before he replied "Raychalla, I have no reason to deceive you. I am not the brat's sire I am merely responsible for him by Saiyan tradition."

"But that would mean that you…" the female gasped as she realized the full extent of the pirate's explanation.

"Poor thing! And yet he's loyal to you?" the queen pressed.

"He is a Saiyan."

"I see. What about you? We made quite a team back in the day. You _could_ stay here you know" Raychalla purred.

A smile crossed Turles's face "We did indeed make quite a pair. Half the known galaxy lived in terror of when we would strike. But we both have different lives now, different responsibilities. As tempting as it might be to remain here I will have to refuse."

It was the queen's turn to sigh, her deep blue eyes appeared to be sad for a moment "I suppose I shall have to settle for what time I have to enjoy your company."

A deep frown crossed the face of Gartoas as the ivory-haired female rested her head on Turles's shoulder for a moment and the Saiyan made no move to dissuade her action. At the end of the meal, the beefy pirate was beside himself as Turles exited the dining hall with his arm around the queen's waist.

"We'd best be gettin' outta here fast!" Gartoas snarled.

"You really think he'll pair up with her again?" Daiz asked, concern was evident in his voice.

"She'll be doin' 'er damn best ta' tempt 'im to. And 'fer now he's crawlin' right inta' that she-spider's web!" Gartoas muttered.

…..

Gohan smiled as he blasted a row of crude dwellings into oblivion with a single ki-blast. Terrified screams filled the air as scores of green insectoid life-forms scattered in a desperate effort to survive. A chilling laugh left the six-year-old's throat as he took the lives of several of the beings without a second thought even as they pleaded for mercy. The anguished cries of the doomed planet's citizens sent a thrill through the boy's small form. He relished the scent of fear and blood that reached him. This was the true calling of a Saiyan ….

…

Gohan awoke in a cold sweat. It had just been a nightmare! But it had seemed so real! And where was he anyway? He didn't recognize the darkened room he was in. The half-awake child stumbled out into the hall and he walked over to the door right across from him. When he entered the room and his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Gohan's eyes nearly popped out of his head. The slumbering form of the Saiyan pirate commander lay in the bed before him. But he wasn't alone, the pirate queen was lying across Turles's chest. The Saiyan's arms were wrapped around her. Raychalla's long white hair had been fashioned into a series of lengthy thick braids that enveloped the sleeping couple. A very embarrassed Gohan quickly exited the room to find Daiz glaring down at him.

"What are you doing out here and out of bed, Brat?" the dark green-haired pirate demanded.

"S-Sorry Daiz. I couldn't sleep.." the little half-blood began.

"I'll just bet! AND I KNOW WHY!" Daiz growled.

Gohan curiously followed the furious Kabochan back into the room he had left earlier. Gartoas lay flat on his back, loud snores resonated through the room. Suddenly a sharp slap was heard.

" WHAT TH' BLOOMIN' HELL WAS THAT 'FER?" Gartoas roared.

"You sound like a herd of Zartekian boars! You woke me _and_ the boy up with your racket!" Daiz snapped.

"Yer' fixin' ta get knocked out!" the angry bearded pirate snapped.

"Quiet down before you wake up Turles!" Daiz warned.

"You'll wake the queen up too!" Gohan declared.

"Oh ta' be sure! Like she's a sharin' is' room!" Gartoas huffed.

The color seemed to drain from the bronze-skinned pirate's face as the youngster's face turned red.

"Ya mean ta' say…." Gartoas choked.

"Go back to bed, Squirt! And don't breathe a word about the queen. Got it?" the Kabochan pirate interrupted.

"Yes, Sir" Gohan spoke up quickly.

The child was asleep within moments of climbing into the comfortable bed. However, the two adult males had their minds far from sleeping.

"We're gonna' be in fer' it now, Daiz. She's gottin' 'er claws inta him" Gartoas sighed.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see what Turles decides" Daiz said wearily.

Would the pirate queen convince Turles to stay or would he leave her behind? The former prince could only wonder what choice the Saiyan pirate commander would make…

…

So what did you think? Please let me know!


	19. The Agreement

Here's Chapter 19! Thanks to Laania, Gohandominates, Nimarin Driggen, SSJ2 Silven, AlphaShenron, icewolf, Chimera Prime, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, and Ali for all the reviews on chapter 18.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Saiyansweetheart is posting my chapters while my laptop is being repaired. Please forgive any typos!

…..

"Three blasted days we've bin' sittin' here now!" Gartos snorted.

"Turles doesn't appear to be in any hurry to leave" Daiz mused.

"And now why wouldn' he be? Enjoyin' tha compny' he's a keepin' that's what he's a doin''" the Kardanagan growled.

The former Kabochan prince sighed heavily. Gartoas made a good point, Turles and the pirate queen seemed almost inseparable since their arrival to her domain. What was Turles up to?

"Ya remember Turles sayin' he hadda' enough ta be getting' us here?" the burly bearded pirate questioned.

"Yes and?" Daiz queried.

"So what's he plannin' on usin' ta pay fer' the ship?"

"Turles has a fortune scattered all over the galaxy, you know that" the dark green- haired warrior replied.

"And just how's he gonna' be gettin' his hands on it stuck here, ay?" Gartoas shot back.

"I…I don't know" Daiz muttered.

"Maybe he's gonna hire us out and it's gonna be our problem `ifn' we be gettin' ourselves killed" his angry teammate huffed.

"I don't think Turles would….." Daiz began but he stopped midsentence. What _was_ Turles going to use to purchase a ship? Surely he wouldn't…

Gartoas and Daiz both turned and looked at the little half-Saiyan youngster that was lying on his bed devouring a book he had found somewhere in the palace. The queen had made it clear that she had an interest in the boy.

"He wouldn't give her the boy" the gray and blue armored pirate protested.

"Wouldn' he now? Ifn' it takes the brat to be gettin' what he wants, Turles'll leave im' without battin' an eye oer' it!"Gartoas snorted.

"TURLES IS LEAVING ME HERE?" Gohan shouted as he suddenly sat up. His book fell to the floor.

"Eavesdroppin' are ya, Brat?" the massive Kardangan growled.

"He can't help but hear_ your_ big mouth" Daiz declared.

"He won't leave me here. Right, Daiz?" the six-year-old implored.

The Kabochan warrior bowed his head "I'm….I'm not sure,Squirt."

"He WON'T leave me here!" the little half-blood insisted stubbornly.

"Turles'll do as he pleases, Brat" his fur-robed teammate informed him. "Ya should know that Turles has gotta' a heart blacker than the armor he wears."

"But he went back for me on the ship…."the son of Goku started.

"'Fer' 'is own gain. Don't be readin' too much inta' that, boy!" Gartoas warned.

Before Daiz could voice his opinion on the matter, a knock resounded on the door. A yellow bird-like being bowed before him.

"Sir, I have been instructed to take you to the garden, the Queen has matters to discuss with you" the avian creature spoke up in a raspy voice.

"I'll be right with you" Daiz replied. He turned to face Gartoas and the now frightened child.

"Stop scaring the boy, Gartoas. I'll be back soon, Gohan. I'll probably have news for you when I return" the former prince assured the youth.

Daiz followed the servant to Queen Raychalla's garden. The sweet scent of Kagerishian roses filled the air as the delicate pink, white and red blooms came into view. A wall of glistening white marble surrounded the flower beds and a marble bench contained the seated figures of the queen and Turles. Multicolored rays of the two setting suns alerted the pirate that the day was coming to an end. The Kabochan grit his teeth as he noticed Turles made no move to conceal the fact that his arm was around the pirate queen's shoulders. Daiz bowed before the queen and was given permission to rise.

Queen Raychalla wore an iridescent gown of blue with an ermine fur draped over it. Her hair was partially fashioned into an upsweep with silvery pearls and blue stones intertwined into her ivory locks. The rest of her hair hung down to the floor.

"Daiz, Turles and I have come to an agreement on the price of his ship. Haven't we, Turles?" the queen stated.

"Indeed. We shall depart tomorrow morning, Daiz" the Saiyan pirate commander stated.

"As you wish, Master Turles" Daiz responded. He couldn't help but give a sigh of relief.

"There's more to it, Daiz. The boy will be remaining behind" Raychalla informed the startled pirate.

"Commander! Surely you're not going to…"

"Don't question my decision, Daiz" Turles snarled." The boy will not be leaving here in the morning."

"Yes, Master Turles" the Kabochan replied in a defeated voice.

"I shall have my servant fetch the boy" Raychalla said airily.

"No, Raychalla. Allow the boy to remain with the crew until morning. It will give him time to give his farewells. He's grown quite fond of his shipmates" Turles suggested.

"Oh,very well. I suppose it's only fair since I get another night with you" the queen purred as she boldly slid her left hand over Turles's right bicep. A smile crossed the Saiyan's face as he nuzzled her hair.

"That is all, Daiz" Turles declared.

"Yes, Commander" the dark-green haired warrior choked out.

Daiz walked back to his temporary quarters with a heavy heart. How was he going to tell Gohan what Turles had decided to do? The boy would be devastated. He felt miserable himself. How could Turles do this? It had seemed that the commander felt something for the youngster but it was quite apparent that he felt nothing at all.

"He didn't take the news of Gohan remaining here too well" Queen Raychalla mused.

"He'll get over it. Daiz won't defy my orders" Turles insisted.

"Do you _really_ have to go?" the pirate-queen pleaded. She lowered her head and her shoulders slumped.

Turles gently lifted her head to face him "We've been through this, Raychalla. I have to go"

"What are you going to prove? Your team is_ gone_. Your quest for revenge against Frieza isn't going to bring them back, Turles" the ivory-haired female pressed.

"It's a matter of honor. You're not a Saiyan so I don't expect you to understand" the dark-skinned Saiyan replied.

"So this 'honor' means more to you than…" Raychalla broke into sobs before she could finish.

"I am bound to my promise to my teammates. I don't want to spend my last night here arguing with you. Wouldn't you agree?" Turles whispered into her ear as he lightly nipped at her neck.

She smiled at the handsome Saiyan through her tears "Yes."

"I can think of something _much_ better to do than arguing" Turles rasped.

…

There had been no use in lying to the boy. Daiz had wanted to smack the smug look from Gartoas's face when he informed his crewmates of the queen's demands. Poor Gohan had cried himself to sleep. The dark-green-haired pirate dreaded the coming morning.

Sheer exhaustion finally allowed Daiz to fall into a fitful sleep.

…..

Turles sighed as he gazed down at the sleeping female in his arms. It was very tempting to stay here with the ivory-haired pirate beauty. No one else had ever been his match in personality. Katchia came close but she was a teammate and friend.

Raychalla was someone he could possibly even love if he allowed it. But that wasn't to be. He had other responsibilities that didn't include the beautiful queen. Perhaps she wouldn't mourn his departure this time. It was quite possible that this time she might truly hate him for what he was going to do. He pressed a soft kiss against her soft pale right cheek. Slipping out of the bed, the Saiyan quickly dressed and exited the room….

…

"Gohan, Wake up!" Turles urged.

The startled youngster awoke and gave the Saiyan a pained look.

"You're leaving me _here_, Commander" Gohan Said bitterly.

"I _said_ that you weren't leaving with us in the morning. It's the middle of the night, Brat. We're leaving _NOW_" Turles smirked.

A wide grin lit Gohan's face.

…

The pirate crew hurried to the launching area. Turles quickly disabled the two guards.

"Commander, How er' we ta' get outta the bay with' the doors bein' sealed shut?" Gartoas wanted to know.

"Leave that to me!" the Saiyan pirate commander hissed.

Daiz carried Gohan on his shoulders. He couldn't hide his relief that the boy wouldn't be left behind.

Gohan and the other two members of the crew's jaws dropped when they caught sight of their ship. The huge gray ship easily dwarfed their original craft.

"Get aboard!" Turles ordered.

"He's went an' gone daft I tell ya" Gartoas grumbled. "We've got no way ta' get outta'the…."

The pirate's voice died in his throat as he spied the two huge armaments that Turles had trained on the launching bay's great outer doors.

"So this ship's got some firepower, Commander? " Daiz questioned.

"A few toys I requested" Turles chuckled as he prepared to fire.

A great explosion resulted in the two bay doors flying off their hinges. The shouts of surprised bay personnel began to resound through the launching area.

"Any more questions, Gartoas?" Turles asked.

"No, Master Turles" the burly pirate sighed.

"Now let's get out of here!" Turles declared.

Gohan happily set the ship into motion and planet Kagerish was soon far behind them.

…

Queen Raychalla gave a sigh of disappointment as she awoke alone. Well, he _was_ leaving this morning. She dressed quickly into a lovely gown of pale green. Now to have a servant make her hair presentable…

…

A sense of foreboding came over the pirate queen as her adviser strode toward her throne with quick purposeful strides. The boar-faced being had a sour expression and his purple robe swished behind him.

"Whatever it is, Matucho, it can wait .Right now I'm going to collect my new pet and my payment for the Saiyan's ship" Queen Raychalla announced.

"I'm afraid you'll have to change your plans, Your Majesty" Matucho huffed.

"You'd better have a good reason to address me so, Matucho" the Kagerishian ruler warned.

"You forbade your servants to wake you this morning…." Her adviser began.

"So what of it?" the queen demanded.

"Late last night, the Saiyan blasted the launching bay doors away and left the planet. He also took the boy with him" Matucho informed her.

A scream of rage tore from the pirate queen's lips….

…..

So what did you think? Please let me know!


	20. A Mother's Love

Here's Chapter 20! Thanks to Nimarin Driggen, 9thZFighter, Laania, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, icewolf, Chimera prime, Gohandominates, Ali, SSJ2 Silven, Full Power, humancygrax, awsomeclaw, and firelifeblizzard for all the reviews on chapter 19.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Still depending on Saiyansweetheart to upload my chapters for now.

….

Gohan slid from the pilot's seat at Turles's order. The Saiyan pirate commander slipped into the seat and manned the ship's controls. Daiz stood waiting as the curious youngster walked over to him "I'll show you where your new quarters are, Squirt."

The six-year-old rolled his eyes at the use of 'Squirt' but quickly followed the former prince. Gohan had been awed at the size of the bridge compared to Turles's other ship. Turles had wasted no time in showing the boy the expansive training room, Gohan could hardly wait to utilize it. They passed a seating area that even had a small area for preparing and storing simple meals. Daiz stopped at the third door down a sizable hall. A wide grin lit Gohan's face as he stepped into the room.

One corner of the room had a bed that was considerably larger and seemingly more comfortable than his previous one. Three copies of red and black Saiyan armor hung on the wall directly across from the bed. Two pair of pricy black Hardenazar lizard boots gleamed on the floor beneath them.

"Would Turles be spoilin' the brat now?" Gartoas grumbled from behind them.

Daiz had to admit that the room and its' contents were a far cry from the boy's previous quarters.

"Wow!" the little half-Saiyan shouted.

Gartoas and Daiz turned to see what had caught the child's attention. The pirates dropped their jaws in amazement. At the far wall of the room stood three shelves lined with scores of books.

"I can't believe Turles would go to the trouble of…"Daiz began.

"Whatta ya make o' that? 'He tryin' ta' make a scholar outta the runt?" the Kardanagan huffed as the delighted youth perused his new collection.

A pang went through the son of Goku at the word' scholar', that had been his mother's dream for him. He hadn't thought of her for some time now, Gohan realized guiltily. The boy hung his head.

Daiz glared at Gartoas and shoved him out of the room.

"Am ah' supposed ta' have done somethin'?" the shaggy black-haired pirate snorted.

"Just leave the boy alone for now" the Kabochan snapped. Something had obviously upset the boy.

"AW! Too much book learnin' aint' good fer' im' ya know. Clutters up yer' mind fer' important things" the burly bearded warrior declared.

"Such as what 'important things'?" the dark-green-haired pirate wanted to know.

"Ya know. Fightin', swearin', charmin' the ladies" Gartoas informed him.

"You couldn't charm a drunken Deardi toad" Daiz snickered.

"Like YER' beatin' the women offa ya when yer' out an' about!" Gartoas shot back.

"You'll have to settle the lover's spat later. Get ready to land!" Turles called out.

The two red-faced pirates were silenced immediately at the Saiyan commander's comment.

….

Gohan learned that the food preparation area aboard the ship would only be used when stopping in for a meal wasn't feasible. Turles had no intention of changing his habit of elaborate meals during his travels unless absolutely necessary. But hearty snacks would be available when anyone of the crew chose to help themselves.

On planet Zelborn, the crew leisurely enjoyed their noon meal. Garotas brought up news he had heard in the small city of Delbaras.

"It seems yer' royal lady friend 'as done put a price on ya' head, Commander" Gartoas spoke up.

"Has she now?" Turles asked with a wicked grin.

"Ta' be sure she has, Master Turles. She's a wantin' ya alive cause she's gonna kill ya herself" the Kardanagan answered.

"She's welcome to try. She won't be the first to attempt to do so" the Saiyan pirate commander replied.

"And she probably won't be the last woman who'll want to kill you, Commander" Daiz added.

The three adult males burst into laughter as Gohan scratched his head in puzzlement.

…

The blue-haired female looked over at her brunette companion and shook her head in sympathy at the sadness etched on the other woman's face. What should have just been a simple day of shopping at West City mall had turned into a day of horror and unimaginable loss. After even Capsule Corps had been largely destroyed by a freakishly huge tree of all things, Bulma had speed off to Mount Pazu to seek Goku's help.

When the heiress had arrived at the Earth-raised Saiyan's home she had found a frantic Chi-Chi insisting that Goku was with the other Z-fighters somewhere up the mountain. They were totally unprepared for the sight that greeted them at the foot of Mount Pazu.

(Flashback)

A monstrous tree had its' roots stretched from the base of the gigantic trunk to far beyond what the eye could see. Surely it couldn't possibly be the same tree whose branches had caused the destruction of West City. The horribly wounded bodies of the slain Z-fighters lay scattered about-Tien, Chiaotzu, Krillin, Piccolo and Yamcha. Goku was nowhere to be found.

Bulma struggled to keep from collapsing as tears coursed down her face and harsh sobs wracked her slim form.

"Gohan snuck off to help them, I just _know_ he did!" ChiChi cried out as she wrung her hands. "WHERE'S MY BABY?"

"Goku _has_ to be…." Bulma's voice died in her throat as she saw the freshly dug pile of dirt. Bile rose in her throat as she read 'DAD' scratched out in a childish scrawl across what was clearly….a grave.

"What's wrong, Bulma? What did you find?" the daughter of the Ox-King demanded.

ChiChi gasped and nearly fainted as she made her own grisly discovery.

"_NO! NO! NOT __**YOU **_TOO! _GOOOKKKUUUU!"_ the ebony-haired woman screamed in agony. She dropped to her knees in grief. Suddenly something caught her eye.

Small blood-stained footprints were still visible in the dirt but ended in thin air.

"_They took him_! Whoever did this…..THOSE MONSTERS HAVE MY GOHAN!" ChiChi screamed.

(End of flashback)

Tears welled up in Bulma's eyes as she remembered finding the crushed bodies of her parents among the wreckage of what was once Capsule Corps. She had convinced ChiChi to accompany her aboard the spaceship her father had created some time ago when it seemed apparent that the entire planet was dying. Somehow the demonic tree was sucking the very life out of the Earth. At first the grieving widow refused but at the suggestion that they could search for Gohan, ChiChi had readily agreed.

The azure-haired genius seriously doubted that they would find the six-year-old if he was even still alive. But it kept ChiChi going and she didn't have the heart to suggest otherwise. Four months had resulted in a fruitless search and their fuel and supplies were dwindling. Bulma was going to have to make a suggestion that she knew would anger her companion..

"We're going to have to seek some kind of employment, ChiChi" Bulma declared as she watched the stars and planets whiz past as they flew ever deeper into space

"_WHAT_? Are you out of your mind? I'm not working for any aliens! WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SEARCHING FOR GOHAN!"ChiChi bellowed.

"ChiChi, We're low on supplies and fuel. This ship can't fly on air you know and we_ have_ to eat" the young scientist said gently.

"I know but how will we possibly find jobs or even speak the language out here?" the mother of Gohan protested.

"I've discovered there's a universal language, it shouldn't be too hard to learn. You're a great cook among other things" Bulma suggested.

The Ox-King's daughter merely snorted at her suggestion.

"Remember this is for Gohan" the heiress reminded her.

"Right. I'll do it for Gohan" ChiChi sniffled.

….

Turles sat looking glumly out into space it didn't go unnoticed by Gartoas and Daiz.

"Ya think he's missin' the pirate wench?" Gartoas whispered.

"No comment" Daiz answered.

Gohan entered the bridge area with a small box under his arm. He slowly walked towards Turles. A frown crossed over the Kardanagan's face.

"Ya might be warnin' the brat not ta' be annoyin' Turles" the massive pirate suggested.

The Kabochan recognized the what the boy carried "He's just got a game of _Tarchia_."

"An' ya think the commander wants ta be bothered with that?" Gartoas grumbled.

"Who do you think taught him how to play it?" the dark green-haired pirate smirked.

Gartoas gave him an incredulous look.

"Care to play a round, Master Turles?" Gohan asked softly.

Turles looked up at the pensive expression on the six-year-old's face. A long sigh came from the Saiyan pirate.

"Set it up, Brat" the commander ordered.

"Ya gotta be kiddin' me" Gartoas muttered. "Quit lookin' so smug afor ' ah belt ya one!"

….

So what did you think? Please let me know!


	21. Changes for Turles

Here's Chapter 21! Thanks to Ali, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, dbzlover, 9thFighter, Nimarin Driggen, icewolf, firelifeblizzard, Gohandominates, Chimera prime, Belsareth, Laania ,SSJ2 Silven, Ingarra, and humancygrax for all the reviews on chapter 20. Also thanks to TheAcheronFlow for the review on chapter 2.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Yes, Saiyansweetheart is STILL posting my chapters. Please forgive any typos! Sorry for the delay on updates. I 'm not much on power levels because folks can never seem to agree on what they should be but I MIGHT post some later in this story.

….

Gohan received a baleful glare from Turles as he successfully defeated the Saiyan at_ Tarchia_ for the second time in a row.

"I taught you_ too_ well, Brat" the dark-skinned Saiyan growled.

"Should we stop playing, Master Turles?" the six-year-old asked cautiously.

"Not until I'VE won a round!" Turles huffed.

The youngster nervously moved his playing piece in the chess-like game. A wicked grin crossed his opponent's face.

"You're pinned in now, Brat" Turles smirked as he completed his offensive move.

Gohan moved another piece cutting off any defense to the pirate commander's own most valuable game token.

"How in the Seven Hells of…." the Saiyan looked at the boy across from him in disbelief.

"Enough sitting around, Brat! Get to the training room!" Turles ordered trying to keep amusement out of his voice.

"Yes, Commander!" the little half-Saiyan called out.

He hurriedly gathered up the assorted playing pieces and quickly packed them away before speeding off to the training room.

"Not _ONE_ word" Turles warned a smirking Daiz.

…

"You can punch harder than THAT!" Turles barked.

Gohan aimed another blow at the pirate commander but it was effortlessly brushed aside.

Gartoas shook his head, Turles was going to mop the floor with the brat. The Kardanagan had slipped into the training room purely out of curiosity. Maybe Turles kept the brat in line by beating him senseless every so often.

"If you went up against a two- day- old Saiyan infant you'd be slaughtered!" the dark-skinned Saiyan mocked.

An outraged roar came from the half-Saiyan child. The next punch caught Turles in the left temple and sent him flying. Only his quick reflexes kept him from slamming into the far wall.

Gartoas gaped in disbelief, Turles leapt back on his feet.

'_Brat's gonna be nothin' butta' pile o' ashes_' the burly pirate thought to himself.

"MUCH better!" the full- blood Saiyan declared.

"Ah'ma seein' an' a hearin' things" Gartos muttered to himself. He stepped out of the training room.

…

When Turles and Gohan exited the training room, the six-year-old sported several cuts and bruises on his small face. But it was the purplish-black swollen area above Turles's left eye that caught the attention of Gartoas and Daiz.

"_Ah thought Turles was gonna blast im' on tha spot_" the bushy-haired bearded pirate whispered.

"_Turles will respect the boy for being able to strike him_" Daiz whispered back.

"Get cleaned up, Gohan" Turles ordered. He ruffled the youngster's damp hair as he did so.

"Yes, Master Turles!" Gohan replied racing off to do as he was told.

"Brat's softnin' im 'up fer' sure!" Gartoas snorted.

Turles turned to face the two adult members of his crew. The Kardanagan swallowed hard as an evil smirk appeared on the Saiyan's face.

"Get to the training room, Gartoas! Let's just see how 'soft' I've gotten!" the pirate commander snarled.

"Me an' muh' big mouth!" Gartoas sighed.

"Better you than me" Daiz snickered.

"What's so amusing, Daiz? YOU'RE NEXT!" Turles chuckled.

All traces of amusement faded from the Kabochan's face.

….

Gohan looked up from the book he was reading and gasped as Gartoas and Daiz dragged themselves into the bridge area. Bruises, cuts and burns covered the two pirate crewmen. Turles appeared a moment later, not a mark marred the Saiyan's appearance except for the bruise left by Gohan's small fist.

"Set a course for planet Dealdrios, Brat!" Turles commanded.

"Yes, Master Turles!" the little half-blood responded as he dropped his book to the floor and raced to the pilot's seat. Switching off the auto-pilot, Gohan set the course and took over the ship's controls.

"Turles be trustin' the runt ta' be stayin' on course?" Gartoas choked out as Turles headed to his own quarters.

"He certainly does" Daiz answered wiping at his split lip.

The former prince couldn't help but notice the concerned look on Gohan's face.

"Nothing to worrying about, Squirt. Turles reminds us just who's in charge now and then. Especially when one of us runs off at the mouth" Daiz assured him.

"How'd ya like a boot in yer mouth?" Gartoas threatened.

"Can you even raise one of your drumsticks up that high?" the dark-green-haired pirate taunted.

Gartoas slammed into Daiz like a charging bull. The Kabochan warrior responded by punching the burly Kardangan in the stomach. Blows flew back and forth with neither pirate having the advantage.

"GARTOAS! DAIZ! " Turles bellowed.

The pirate commander stood glaring at the pair of crewmen who stopped their scuffle immediately.

"Just ah bit of ah misunderstandin', Master Turles. All's settled now, eh Daiz?" Gartoas spoke up quickly.

"Yeah, we're good" Daiz affirmed.

Shaking his head, Turles walked over and took Gohan's place. Retrieving his book, the six-year-old returned to his reading.

"_Yer' lucky Turles showed up. But ah'll get ya' next time_!" Gartoas hissed.

"Anytime you're ready!" the former royal shot back.

….

"We'll be planting the Tree of Might on Dealdrios" Turles announced.

Gohan's face fell at the Saiyan's words. He would be personally responsible for the lives lost on that world. What was he thinking when he saved the Fruit from the flames? But the boy already knew the answer, he had wanted Turles's approval. Why did it matter so much to him now?

"There is no civilization on Dealdrios, Brat" the full-blood Saiyan declared as if he could read the boy's thoughts.

"Dealdrios is an agricultural base for supplying meat for Frieza's soldiers. Twice a month livestock is harvested from the planet but otherwise no one sets foot on the planet. We can take the planet's energy to make our own harvest and deplete some of Frieza's supplies at the same time" Turles continued.

A look of relief appeared on Gohan's face. The Saiyan gave a wicked grin" I see you approve, Brat. That's good because you're going to join us on Dealdrios."

Gohan suddenly felt a bit guilty for the animals that would pay with their lives for the Tree to grow but they _did_ belong to Frieza.

Daiz and Gartoas exchanged glances. Since when did Turles care whether a planet was inhabited or not?

…

"Ah'll be the first ta' admit ah've not bin' 'ere long but Master Turles…somethin's just not the same 'bout 'im" the massive bearded pirate insisted.

Daiz looked over and was surprised to see that Gohan was standing next to Turles. The pair spoke the Saiyan language in hushed tones. Something the boy said actually made the Saiyan warrior laugh. Strange that Turles had the patience to instruct the child in the ancient tongue.

"Something's definitely different" the dark-green haired pirate mused.

"Ain't that so? Turles wouldna'cared a whit iffa' planet hadda' bloomin' nursery fulla' wee babes on it. " Gartoas huffed.

"Turles may have some fondness for the boy but I'm sure he'll be back to his old tricks soon. Gohan seeks Turles's approval and he'll eventually do whatever he's commanded to" Daiz sighed.

"So Turles's just easin' 'im inta' it, eh?" the Kardanagan queried.

"Precisely. That's how Turles works" the former Kabochan prince sighed.

….

Gohan headed off to his room to get another book. When the six-year-old left the bridge area, Turles turned to his two crewmen.

"There's a small force on Dealdrios meant to guard Frieza's stock. I'll give you the coordinates to their base. You're to dispose of them and then meet me and the brat at the following coordinates" Turles informed Gartoas and Daiz.

"Gohan has no knowledge of this, Commander?" Daiz questioned.

"I truthfully told him there is no _civilization_ on Dealdrios. The guards are not his concern. Follow your orders" the dark-skinned Saiyan said coldly.

"Of course, Master Turles" Daiz replied.

'_Now why is Turles hiding the fact that someone IS on Dealdrios? Does it really matter to him how Gohan would feel knowing that?' _the Kabochan pirate wondered.

…..

Dealdrios was a lush green planet with one massive sun. Great herds of gray deer-like creatures lumbered about. Several flocks of strange, bulky yellow- feathered birds flapped about. Gohan doubted that their small wings were capable of supporting their enormous bodies in flight. Groups of grossly overfed blue hog-like beasts dug into the soil seeking tasty roots.

Turles planted the seed for the Tree immediately after landing. Now they would have to wait. Gohan wondered where Daiz and Gartoas had taken themselves.

….

In no time at all, the Tree of Might sprouted from the ground and its' monstrous roots began to spread across the planet's surface. Within hours all life would wither away on the hapless planet. Gohan tried to keep his mind on how furious Frieza would be to learn of the planet's destruction. He desperately tried not to think of how his own world had met the same fate as Dealdrios now faced. Soon the Tree would bear fruit. Suddenly Gartoas and Daiz appeared as if out of nowhere.

…..

Turles took out four of the gray deer-like life-forms. Daiz quickly joined him in preparing the animals for an afternoon meal. Gohan located several fruit-bearing trees and carried an ample supply of the fruit back to the rough campsite that Gartoas had prepared. The Kardangan grimaced as he saw Turles take several bites of raw meat.

"It's been a while since I've had a fresh kill" the pirate commander snickered as he licked the blood dripping from his fingers. Gartoas gave a shudder much to the Saiyan's amusement.

Gohan stood back watching with wide eyes as Turles tore another hunk of raw flesh away. The Saiyan held out a piece of bloody meat "Care for a taste, Brat?"

It seemed to Gohan as if Turles was daring him. Could he really stomach raw meat? He gingerly took the proffered meat and took a small bite. He never could have imagined the sweet, salty taste. It was _so good_! The boy wolfed down the entire portion.

"Commander, Can I have a little _more_?" Gohan requested.

"Ya gotta be kiddin' me" Gartoas groaned. Daiz winced and shook his head.

"You'll be a _real_ Saiyan** yet**, Brat!" Turles laughed as he tossed a large slab of raw meat to the child.

The burly bearded pirate watched totally aghast as Gohan devoured every morsel. Daiz felt his stomach lurch as the six-year-old eagerly sucked his fingers clean.

….

A green feline predator snatched one of the bulky yellow birds and disappeared into the trees.

"There are predators and prey throughout all nature, Gohan. It's the natural order of things. When you realize that, life will be simpler for you" Turles stated.

"Yes, Master Turles" the little half-Saiyan spoke up quickly.

'_Is that really how things are_?' the son of Goku wondered.

….

It didn't take long for Dealdrios to become a mere husk of the bountiful planet it once was. The entire crew began loading the fruit from the Tree of Might onto Turles's ship. Gohan felt a little sad for the creatures that had once roamed the lush fields. They now contained nothing but withered grass and shriveled trees. As soon as they boarded the ship, Turles blasted the planet to oblivion. The Saiyan pirate chuckled as he thought about the Ice-Jin's reaction when he received news of Dealdrios.

"Commander Turles! Commander Turles!" a voice shouted out over Turles's scouter.

"This is Turles. Who are you and what business do you have with me?" Turles demanded.

"This is Parchec,…..scientist on Krazlzdor….Frieza forces attacked…I…" the voice suddenly faded.

"Parchec! Are you still there?" the pirate commander pressed but he could only hear a crackling sound and then nothing. Frieza had attacked Krazlzdor?

' _Katchia!_ ' Turles thought immediately.

The Saiyan warrior balled up his fists in absolute fury as he strode over to the pilot's seat.

"WE'RE GOING TO KRAZLZDOR NOW!" Turles roared. His crew rushed to their seats.

…

So what did you think? Please let me know.


	22. A Turning Point for Turles

Here's Chapter . Thanks to Ali, Nimarin Driggen, Gohandominates, icewolf, firelifeblizzard, Guest, Chimera prime, Mskiki1219, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, and 9thZFighter for all the reviews on chapter. Two hundred reviews! Thanks SO MUCH to everyone who's took the time to read and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does.

A/N: Saiyansweetheart is STILL posting chapters for now. I hope to have my laptop back soon. Please forgive any typos!

…

The grim expression on Turles's face had Gartoas feeling quite concerned as to what they would find on Krazlzdor. Had the half-Saiyan/half-Alborite even survived the attack by Frieza's minions?

"_We're gonna 'ave one helluva' foul-tempered Saiyan on our hands ifn' that Katchia wench didn' survive_" the burly bearded pirate whispered to Daiz.

_"Let Turles hear you calling her a wench and you'll be short a limb or two soon_" Daiz hissed back.

Gohan sat in his seat desperately hoping that the blue-skinned, ebony-haired Katchia had survived the unwarranted attack by Frieza. His little fists clenched at the thought of the beautiful female being harmed in any way. She had been quite kind to him.

Turles had told the son of Goku many stories of the Ice-Jinn known as Frieza's cruelty as part of his studies of Saiyan history. The six-year-old now had a fierce pride in his Saiyan heritage and he regarded Katchia as a fellow Saiyan. His small tail thrashed about reflecting his angry thoughts, he would place it around his waist upon landing. Turles was sure to reprimand him if he were to carelessly expose his tail to injury.

…

Far away on the distant planet of Artruay, a certain blue-haired genius was putting the finishing touches on her latest invention. The slim silver bracelet didn't give a clue as to its' purpose. Bulma's brunette companion stared doubtfully at the electronic device.

"Okay, ChiChi. I've uploaded the capability for three hundred languages to be translated through this little gizmo. I don't think you'll have any trouble understanding any of the restaurant patrons" the former heiress of Capsule Corps announced confidently as she fastened the tiny translator on Chi-Chi's left wrist.

"You expect me to believe that this teeny thing is going to do all that?" the Ox-king's daughter snorted.

"I AM one of the greatest minds in existence" Bulma chuckled.

The azure-haired scientist leaned back in her comfortable chair and surveyed her new lab. She could hardly wait to begin working on even more brilliant inventions in the state of the art laboratory. Her new employer had spared no expense in procuring her supplies. Even the most modern instruments of Capsule Corps would have paled in comparison to those now at her disposal.

It hadn't taken long for her to impress one of the leading Artruyan businessmen with a sampling of her inventions. The thin gray reptilian life-form known as Boradas recognized her brilliance immediately. He was more than happy to finance her work as he fully expected a generous return on his investment.

ChiChi insisted on sharing the expenses even if Bulma's new career included rather luxurious accomodations. She was to begin working at an elegant restaurant also owned by Bulma's employer. The notion of working with a bunch of aliens still made ChiChi's skin crawl.

"This is all for Gohan" Goku's widow reminded herself.

"Here, I'll take you over to the restaurant" Bulma offered.

"That would be great. I'm SO nervous!" ChiChi confessed.

"You'll be just fine" her aquamarine-eyed friend insisted.

…

"I AM NOT WEARING THOSE RAGS!" ChiChi screeched as she saw the tiny blouse and short skirt that the meal servers were expected to wear.

The rotund four-armed orange female that ran the posh eatery owned by Bulma's benefactor was not amused by ChiChi's outburst.

"I'm allowing your employment as a favor to Boradas. If you can't cut it then stop wasting my time" the obese orange being huffed.

ChiChi wanted to race from the building but she couldn't face telling Bulma she'd failed at securing a job. And above all else this WAS for Gohan. Gazing about at the restaurant's polished gray marble floors and expensive fabric covered walls, the brunette female felt assured that a cultured, refined sort must frequent such an establishment.

Swallowing her pride, the raven-haired mother of Gohan took the offending garments and entered the room she had been shown beforehand to change her clothing…

….

Gohan's eyes went wide as his small muscles suddenly bulged in size and power surged through his body. The spiky red-orange Fruit from the Tree of Might more than doubled the little half-Saiyan's strength. Turles was far more imposing than before. This was nothing new to Daiz as he also consumed a piece of the Fruit. Gartoas warily bit into a Fruit at the Saiyan pirate commander's order. He gasped at the sheer amount of power and muscle mass that seemed to magically appear.

Not knowing how large a force Frieza might have sent, Turles had determined the entire crew would partake of the Fruit before landing on Krazlzador.

Turles sighed as he walked to his ship's exit. He fervently hoped Katchia was still alive. The visual screen had shown that Krazlzador's great structures no longer existed. Scorched craters and rubble littered the planet's surface. Stepping out of the door, the Saiyan took to the sky.

"Gohan, Stick close to…." Daiz fell silent as Gohan tore out of the exit and took off after Turles.

"Ah' still say that brat's _gotta_ belong ta' Turles!" Gartoas growled.

Gohan landed near Turles and began to help clear away the shambles that was once Katchia's lab. There was no sign of Frieza's soldiers just the carnage they had left behind. Several bodies lay beneath the rubble but none were who Turles and the youngster beside him sought. A badly wounded blue fish-faced life-form lay still clutching a communications device in one of his lifeless appendages.

'_Probably Parchec' _the dark-skinned Saiyan thought to himself.

_"_Master Turles!" Gohan cried out.

When Turles whipped around he saw the blue skinned hand….

…

ChiChi tried to tug her skirt down a little lower for a bit more coverage as she entered the restaurant serving area. She pasted a fake smile on her face as she walked up to the designated table.

Three muscular aliens of varying races ogled the slim brunette as she began to ask for their orders.

"I'll have a Bracolian stew and a side order of your luscious looking legs!" a bronze-skinned bald humanoid life-form chortled.

ChiChi grit her teeth and asked the blue two-headed reptilian being what _he _would like to order.

"I'll take a roast Charling and three smooches!" the blue reptile snickered.

"Ya can get me some Darzalean soup and how's about a date later tonight, Sweetheart?" a green feline male declared much to his companions' amusement.

A scarlet-faced ChiChi stomped back to the kitchen area. Bulma's translating device had worked all _too _well!

…..

Turles carefully removed the large portion of the lab's roof that had Katchia pinned beneath it. At last the blue-skinned ebony- haired female was freed from her tomb of rubble. The Saiyan male groaned inwardly as he observed her injuries. She had worn no protective armor only her once pristine white uniform. Her chest was crushed and her pretty face was bruised and bleeding. Several bones protruded from her damaged left leg and the other had been blasted away. Her right arm was badly burned.

"We'll get you to a healing station, Katchia" Turles promised.

"T-Turles, Y-You know I-I won't survive…" coughs wracked her slender form.

"I won't even make it to your ship, Turles. I'm glad Parchec found you so I could see you one more time" Katchia choked out.

The Saiyan knelt by his former teammate's side "There has to be _something _I can do!"

"Can I have a kiss?" the half-Saiyan female asked timidly.

"A WHAT?" the stunned pirate shouted.

"I always had such an awful crush on you…." Katchia struggled to breathe. "I always wondered…"

A bitter expression crossed the full-blood Saiyan's face. Frieza had taken so much from him and now this. The last surviving member of his first crew having to die in such a manner.

Katchia's face deepened in color "I'm s-sorry. I sh-shouldn't have asked."

A sad smile lit Turles's face, he gently brushed back the half-blood female's blood-drenched hair from her face. His lips slid over those of the startled Saiyan/Alborite.

Gohan struggled in a vain attempt to keep tears from welling up in his eyes. Turles would not approve.

"WOW! Better than I imagined" a strained giggle came from Katchia.

"I should have sent you somewhere else. Frieza would have been tempted by this place" Turles growled.

"No! I had a VERY happy life here. I have no regrets and I got to go down fighting like a Saiyan should. Well, a little bit of a Saiyan" the azure complexioned woman corrected herself.

"You were _always_ a Saiyan" Turles insisted.

A spasm of coughs came from Katchia and then a mischievous smile appeared on her face.

"Can I have _one more_ kiss, Turles?"

The Saiyan pirate commander granted her wish. Her left arm slid around his neck as Katchia returned his kiss. She gave a smile and a soft sigh and then she was gone.

Turles buried his face into Katchia's shoulder. Gohan couldn't hold back any longer. Tears streamed down his little cheeks. The six-year-old gasped as he saw a single tear slowly roll down his commander's face when he finally looked up again.

Gartoas and Daiz stood back. They had found and disposed of a few stray soldiers that had not left Krazlzdor. Most likely they were a mop-up team left to eradicate any possible survivors of the initial attack.

Turles lifted Katchia's lifeless body up in his arms. He would give her a proper burial as a Saiyan warrior deserved. Gohan caught on immediately.

"By the Kralon tree, Commander! Katchia said it was her favorite place outside the lab!" the youngster exclaimed.

"So be it then" Turles replied. He knew the spot Gohan had mentioned and the yellow bloom- covered tree still stood.

A blast from the Saiyan pirate made a grave to place his former teammate in. He was surprised to see the little Saiyan half-blood raise his right arm in the Saiyan salute for a fallen warrior. Turles gave a nod and raised his right arm as well.

"You've paid attention to your lessons, Gohan. Katchia would appreciate the honor" Turles declared in approval.

Tears poured down Gohan's face and sobs shook his small frame in spite of his struggle to contain them as Katchia's grave was covered. A powerful arm wrapped around her small shoulders.

"Shush now, Brat. She died as a Saiyan. Now let's leave this place" Turles rumbled. He scooped up the boy and flew back toward the ship.

Gartoas and Daiz shot each other an incredulous look before heading off to their ship as well.

…

ChiChi managed to survive serving the trio of aliens that had made sport of her their meals. But one patron decided to give her backside a good hard pinch after she took his order. That was the last straw! The Ox-King's daughter calmly brought a huge platter of rice-like grains and some sort of gravy to the lecherous yellow elephantine being and promptly dumped the contents of the platter on his head.

**"I QUIT**!" ChiChi screamed.

…

Turles stared out into space, his face an unreadable mask. Daiz and Gartoas frantically tried to wave Gohan away as he walked over toward the Saiyan commander. No doubt the boy would pay for disturbing him. It was quite apparent that Turles did not want to be bothered. The small child gave the Saiyan's left shoulder a gentle squeeze. The pirate crewmen's jaws dropped as the Saiyan pirate reached up and squeezed the boy's hand in return…

….

So what'd you think? Please let me know!


	23. Zailora

Here's Chapter 23! Thanks to Ali, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Gohandominates, icewolf, firelifeblizzard, Nimarin Driggen, Laania, Chimera prime, DarkRider007,and humancygrax for all the reviews on chapter 22. I SO appreciate each and every one of you!

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does.

A/N: Yep, Saiyansweetheart is STILL posting chapters for me. Please forgive any typos! Sorry for the tardy update but my dear assistant had limited computer time for a bit.

….

Daiz shook his head. Both he and Gartoas had been certain that Turles would have erupted in anger when Gohan had demonstrated empathy for the loss of the pirate commander's former teammate. Surprisingly Turles had accepted the boy's gesture. But his response had only lasted for a moment, he quickly returned to the gruff Saiyan they were familiar with.

"Accordin' ta' Commander Turles, we're gonna get an addition ta' the crew" Gartoas grumbled.

"Good. Maybe they'll pick up your slack" the former prince snickered.

"Hmph! Ya wish ya could pull muh weight!" the burly Kardangan snorted.

"No one EXISTS that can pull _your _weight!" Daiz snickered.

"Ya spoilt royal pain…." Gartoas began.

"Here's some _pain_!" the dark green- haired Kabochan taunted as he aimed a blow at his bearded crewmate's jaw.

At that moment, Gohan sent the ship into a sharp turn. The odd angle took the two unsuspecting pirates right off their feet. Gartoas tumbled right on top of Daiz. As luck would have it Turles chose that very moment to appear.

"GET OFF OF ME, YOU OVERFED OAF!" Daiz bellowed.

"AW, QUIT YER WHININ' YA SCRAWNY INSECT!" Gartoas barked.

"In the future, DO try to control yourselves until the two of you are behind the closed doors of your personal quarters. We'll be landing in an hour" the Saiyan full-blood remarked with a smirk. His flustered red-faced crewmen glared at each other.

…..

Gohan eyed Turles curiously as he noticed the smirk on the commander's face but he said not a word.

"I'll handle the landing, Brat. Get ready for the morning meal" Turles ordered.

The little half-Saiyan scampered off to obey. His small stomach growled at the thought of the delicious repast he would soon enjoy. Someone else was going to join the crew today. Gohan could hardly wait to see what they would be like.

"_Ya started it_!" Gartoas whispered. He was trying to avoid catching Turles's notice.

"_And I can FINISH IT too_!" Daiz hissed back.

"Whispering sweet nothings to each other. How romantic!" Turles teased.

"Now Master Turles, Whatta AH done' ta' deserve such sayin's?" the massive Kardangan pirate complained.

The Saiyan commander's mocking laughter was his only reply.

"For starters, your_ face_ is a crime!" Daiz needled.

"Yer's ain't gonna be so purty ifn' ya keep runnin' yer trap" Gartoas snarled.

"Gartoas, you think Daiz is_ pretty_?" Gohan asked in complete innocence.

Turles couldn't resist. "Of course he does, Brat!"

The two adult pirate teammates groaned and smacked their foreheads. They'd walked right into that one!

…

"Are we meetin' our new crewman purty soon, Master Turles?" the huge bushy-haired pirate questioned as he sliced the large slab of meat on his plate.

"You'll be meeting them soon enough" Turles responded. He gave no further information.

Gohan looked excited at first and then concerned. Would the new crew member like or just be annoyed with him?

Daiz seemed to read his thoughts.

"_You'll be fine, Squirt. Turles won't let anyone bother you. You can count on that_" the green-haired pirate whispered.

The half-Saiyan child shot him a grin and continued eating from his piled-high plate.

….

Queen Raychalla was holding a meeting on planet Quarshrim with several renown bounty-hunters. She hated having the unsavory beings in her palace. But Turles was going to regret his betrayal. Tears welled up in her brilliant blue eyes for a moment. The pirate queen's anger would not allow her to shed a single teardrop. How could Turles have done such a thing? She had trusted him!

'_I'm such a fool! I fell for a lying thief!' _the pale-skinned royal thought to herself.

'A _very good-looking, smooth-talking thief_! ' Raychalla mused. She had to force her attention back to the moment at hand.

Two gargantuan green armored blue reptilian beings sat silently beside a smaller creature. The hooded figure with glittering red eyes made chills run up and down the white-haired female's spine. It seemed to emanate the very essence of evil. As the black hood fell back, it revealed a gray-scaled snake-like life-form. He was a Sarhassan. His forked tongue flickered as he spoke.

"So the Saiyan pirate is to be delivered to you alive at all costs?" the serpent being questioned.

"Yes! You'll not receive a _single_ zeni if he is killed, Salsir" Raychalla warned. She wanted to exact her revenge personally.

"And what of the boy? The half-breed?" Salsir pressed.

The queen gave a long sigh as she considered the boy. Then her expression hardened, Turles favored the little half-blood somehow. Perhaps it could possibly cause the ungrateful Saiyan pain to lose him…..

"He would have made an_ adorable_ pet but do as you will with him" Raychalla said coldly.

Pleased with her response, the Sarhassan gave an evil hiss of satisfaction. He had plans for the filthy little Half-blood….

…

"YOU DID WHAT?" Bulma screeched in utter disbelief.

"I already TOLD you and I'm NOT repeating myself!" ChiChi huffed stubbornly.

"You had _a great_ job at a _wonderful_ restaurant! How could you go and drop HOT FOOD on someone?" the exasperated scientist exclaimed.

"YOU didn't have to dress like a…a BIMBO and get PAWED ON!" the Ox-King's daughter shot back.

"I'm sure it couldn't have been THAT bad!" Bulma insisted.

"Then YOU go take that job! The skimpy clothing shouldn't bother YOU in the least!" ChiChi snorted.

"And just WHAT do you mean by that?" her blue-haired companion growled.

"Ladies, Ladies! It grieves me to see such lovely creatures engaged in such a heated discussion!" a thin gray reptilian figure in a purple robe declared as he entered Bulma's lab.

"Artruay!" Bulma gasped.

ChiChi covered her mouth with her hand. Would Bulma's benefactor force them to leave now? She struggled against the wave of panic that suddenly seized her.

"My dear Bulma, I'm sure I can find another position for your friend at the restaurant tomorrow! No worries now" Artruay insisted.

Bulma gave a sigh of relief. ChiChi couldn't shake the feeling that her troubles were just beginning…

…..

"You're seriously going to allow that she-devil back here?"

"Now, Kqarsayla. There has to be _something_ ChiChi can do in the kitchen. Just keep her tucked safely away from our guests" Artruay instructed the enormous bald orange four-armed scowling female.

"Master Artruay, Why is it so important to keep that "ChiChi" on here?" Kqarsayla sniffed.

"Because her friend Bulma will help me impress someone who is quite powerful. Quite powerful indeed" the gray reptile declared.

"We'll be far better off in his favor than those who incur his displeasure. You won't fail me, correct?" the restaurant's owner implored the female in his employ.

"As you wish, I trust that you know what you're doing. I'll put ChiChi to work in the kitchen tomorrow" Kqarsayla sighed.

"I knew I could count on you!" Artruay praised.

…

"Ain't seen hide nor hair yet of anyone supposin' ta be the new crewman" Gartoas huffed.

"Maybe they got a whiff of you and changed their mind" Daiz snickered.

"Shut up afore' I knock yer' lice outta yer' hair!" the bearded pirate warned.

Gohan rolled his eyes, here they went again!

"You couldn't knock a…" the former Kabochan prince stopped in midsentence.

Gartoas turned to see what had captured his teammate's attention.

Turles entered the ship accompanied by a slim female in pale blue and silver armor. A long braid of dark-green hair hung to her waist. Green eyes flashed from her light-skinned face. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she regarded the two male pirates.

The sputtering Kardanagan's glance went from Daiz to the female and back again. They could almost pass for twins!

"This is Zailora, the latest addition to our crew" Turles announced.

…..

ChiChi looked down at her shriveled hands in despair. She had been washing large platters, beverage containers, serving trays and eating utensils for hours on end. Was she really going to be expected to do this _every_ _day_? Even when ChiChi had prepared meals for Goku, she had never had to clean such a staggering amount of dishes. Hundreds of patrons frequented the restaurant.

Massaging her aching back with her hands, the weary brunette female reached for another huge pile of serving trays. Kqarsayla burst into the kitchen as swiftly as her portly form would allow. Her four arms were flailing _about_ in agitation.

"One of the cooks just stormed out of here! What am I going to do? What am I going to do?" Kqarsayla wailed.

"Can't YOU fill in?" ChiChi suggested.

"I CAN'T BOIL WATER! I couldn't_ possibly_ make the amount of food needed here!" the orange- skinned being moaned.

"CAN YOU COOK?" the rotund female pleaded.

"I-I'm not sure I could! I don't know the menu or any of the dishes served here" ChIChi protested.

"HAH! Most of our patrons can't even READ the menu!" the four-armed being snorted. "Just throw something half-decent together!" Kqarsayla begged.

Goku's widow stood biting her lip.

"PLEASE! You won't have to wash another dish again!" the bald orange female bargained.

"Okay…I'll try!" ChiChi sighed.

Looking into one of the kitchen's refrigeration units, the Earthling female suppressed a gag. A huge yellow something with long thin tentacles lay on one shelf. Gathering a few ingredients that seemed somewhat familiar, Chi-Chi set out to attempt to put a few dishes together…

…

Daiz could barely believe his eyes "Y-You're a Kabochan!"

"Yes. It's been a while, Prince Daiz" Zailora declared.

"I'm no longer a prince, just a pirate" the former royal said flatly.

"Of course, Kabocha no longer exists and we both know why" the Kabochan female chuckled.

"A WOMAN? Seriously, Master Turles? How am AH supposin' ta be workin' with a blasted female?" Gartoas complained.

"You could always try to make Daiz jealous" Turles taunted.

"Commander, Why da ya plague me so?" Gartoas moaned.

"Because it's so much fun" the full-blood Saiyan snickered.

…

A beaming Kqarsayla entered the kitchen and congratulated an exhausted ChiChi.

"_Everything_ you prepared was_ fabulous_! Our guests are absolutely raving about their meals! No more dishes for YOU!" the four-armed female announced.

"Really?" ChiChi asked pensively.

"Of course! You won't be receiving the same pay…"

The brunette female hung her head in disappointment.

"_I wasn't finished_! You'll receive TWICE as much pay and I'll give you an assistant cook to help you!" the plump orange being said airily.

"THANK YOU!" ChiChi cried out.

"No, my dear. _Thank you_!" Kqarsayla insisted.

…

"I see you like to read, Brat" Zailora said to Gohan.

"Yes, Ma'am!" the boy said quickly as he looked at the green-haired female over the cover of the book he was holding.

'_Polite little thing!' _the Kabochan female thought.

"Me too, Brat" the woman informed him.

"You can read some of my books anytime you like, Ma'am!" Gohan told her.

"I'd like that. Now don't call me Ma'am. I'm just Zailora, okay?"

"Okay!" the little half-blood agreed. He hoped he'd found a friend…..

…

Okay. A little bit longer chapter to make up for the late update. What did you think? Please let me know!


	24. Birthday Blues

Here's Chapter 24! Thanks to Nimarin Driggen, 9thZFighter, Ingarra, firelifeblizzard, icewolf, Chimera prime,  
Gohandominates, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Ali, ManonmarZ, Laania, and humancygrax for all the reviews on chapter 23.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Sadly my chapters must STILL be posted by Saiyansweetheart. Please forgive any typos!

….

"You're a success, ChiChi!" Bulma cheered. "Artruay couldn't praise you enough! It seems we both have secure employment for now."

The Ox-King's daughter nodded and gave her blue-haired companion a weak smile.

"Let's go celebrate and have an extravagant breakfast! Anything we want today!" Bulma suggested excitedly.

"I appreciate the offer, Bulma. I really do. But I don't feel much like celebrating today" ChiChi sniffed.

"But why not? You deserve to….." the former heir of Capsule Corps stopped in mid-sentence as she noticed tears rolling down her friend's face.

"What is it, ChiChi? What's wrong?" Bulma asked suddenly concerned.

"I _should_ be celebrating something else" ChiChi sobbed.

Seeing the confusion on the azure-haired scientist's face, the slim brunette choked out her explanation.

"T-Today is…-_today is Gohan's seventh birthday_!"

"Oh, ChiChi! I'm so sorry!" Bulma put her arm around the sobbing woman's shoulders…..

…..

Gohan sighed softly as he headed to the bridge on Turles's ship. Today was supposed to be his big day. But there would be no birthday cake lovingly baked by his mother, no presents, no celebration of any kind.

Zailora immediately picked up on the little half-blood's mood. Something was bothering the boy. Daiz noticed as well, he wondered if Gohan was still tired. Turles had pushed the child hard in the training room the day before.

Gartoas glared at Zailora as he entered the bridge area "Ah was hopin' ya was just a bad dream but yer still here."

"YOU'RE the only nightmare on this ship!" Daiz teased.

"Ya refugee from a…" the burly Kardangan's words stopped as Turles entered the room.

The Saiyan's spiky black hair was perfectly in place. His armor and boots gleamed as he strode toward the ship's controls.

"_Wow! He sure looks put together nicely first thing in the morning_" the Kabochan female whispered to the former prince of her race.

"_Turles won't stand for less than perfection when it comes to his appearance_ " Daiz whispered back.

The dark green-haired male shook his head as he observed the female's admiring glance directed to the pirate commander.

"_Don't get any ideas about Commander Turles. He'll break your heart"_ he warned Zailora.

"_Who said I HAVE a heart_?" his feminine counterpart snickered.

"Ah knew it! Yer not even together fer a full day an' yer already whisperin' an' such!" Gatoas accused.

"Jealous much, Gartoas?" Turles taunted.

"When am Ah gonna learn ta keep muh big mouth shut?" the massive pirate groaned.

Zailora couldn't suppress a giggle.

"Ya just keep outta muh way, Woman" Gartoas growled.

….

The brilliant multi-colored sunrise of planet Gamor was lost on the son of Goku. He couldn't help feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness. Eating was the last thing he cared to do this beautiful morning. But he would have to consume something or risk being scolded by Turles.

Gohan's small tail drooped behind him as he entered the posh eatery Turles had chosen for their morning meal. The pirate commander was about to reprimand the boy for the disregard for his tail's safety when he noticed the forlorn expression on the little half-Saiyan's face. Was the Earth-raised child missing his former life again? Perhaps a good meal would lift his spirits.

Gohan forced himself to eat even though he could barely taste what he was ingesting. He almost gagged on his next forkful and felt Turles's grip on his shoulder.

"If you've had enough, feel free to stop eating, Brat" Turles declared.

"Thank you, Master Turles" Gohan said listlessly.

"Daiz, Have the brat looked over while the rest of us attend to business" the Saiyan full-blood ordered.

"Yes, Commander" Daiz agreed.

"He's not sick, Daiz. He's upset about something " Zailora hinted as she slid from her seat.

The male pirate gave her a nod as he motioned Gohan to follow him as Turles and the others departed.

"What's wrong, Squirt?"

"Nothing" Gohan said softly.

"I can't help if I don't know what's wrong, Kid" Daiz pressed.

Gohan hung his head "It's my seventh birthday today."

Daiz sighed heavily. How was Turles going to react to this?

…

"What did the medic say ails the boy?" Turles questioned.

"A medic wasn't needed, Master Turles" Daiz informed him.

"You disregarded my order?" the Saiyan growled.

"Commander, The boy isn't sick. He's … he's just upset" the former royal spoke up quickly.

"And what pray tell is upsetting the brat?" Turles demanded.

"Well, Master Turles, it's the boy's birthday" the Kabochan informed him.

"Birth day?" a confused look crossed the pirate commander's face.

"The day of his birth, Commander."

"What of it? He's a bit young to be pining for his lost youth" Turles remarked sarcastically.

"Some races have a celebration of sorts on that particular day, Master Turles" Daiz attempted to explain.

"Only the royal family of Vegeta-sei and perhaps some of the nobility made that a practice" Turles snorted.

"I suppose some other races regard that day for all ranks, Commander" the dark green-haired pirate declared.

The dark-skinned Saiyan's expression appeared as if he had just consumed something horribly sour.

"Perhaps, See what the brat requires for this "day of birth" the Saiyan ordered with an air of disgust.

"As you wish, Master Turles" Daiz replied.

'_I hope you don't get us both killed over this, Squirt'_ the exasperated pirate crewman thought to himself.

….

Zailora threw herself into the preparations for Gohan's 'birth day 'to the apparent dispproval of Gartoas. As the daughter of a Kabochan noble, the day of her own birth had been the cause for much celebration. Turles had rolled his eyes and snorted at her suggestions but had allowed her free rein in assembling a low key observance of the boy's 'special' day.

Turles suddenly found a most pressing matter to attend to at the sight of a rather gaudy colored cake and a few sweets being assembled by the green-haired female in his ship's small eating area. He was having no part of this foolishness.

"Oh no! We forgot about gifts! Gohan will have to get SOMETHING!" Zailora exclaimed.

The Saiyan glared at Daiz who wore a sheepish look and the Kabochan male gave him a helpless shrug. Shaking his head, Turles stomped out of his ship. Had it been a mistake to take the female on as a crew member?

….

It took all of Turles's willpower to prevent himself from strangling the emissary from one of the planets under his control. The thin blue insectoid life-form prattled on and on for several hours over matters that could have been resolved in mere minutes. Perhaps a little time in the merchant area would cool his ire.

A display of artfully bound books made the Saiyan pirate think of Gohan. Would the brat actually expect a gift from him? Surely not.

'_Only the members of the royal family were entitled to such expectations_' Turles thought.

Would his crew actually present gifts to the brat? Daiz might choose to do so, he was clearly soft-hearted where Gohan was concerned. It appeared that the little half-Saiyan had charmed the newest member of his crew as well. Gartoas would most probably ignore the antics of his fellow crew members. Perhaps there was a bit of common sense buried somewhere deep in the Kardangan's tiny brain.

A soft barking noise interrupted the pirate commander's train of thought. The sound came from a small caged creature with brilliant red and yellow fur. It was a_ Charalon._ Turles hadn't seen one since his childhood. Large dark eyes regarded the Saiyan and a thin tail with a ridiculous plume of red fur at its' tip began to wag cautiously. Long buried memories filled Turles's mind….

(Flashback)

A dark-skinned male Saiyan child laughed as the _Charalon_ pup danced about for the small scrap of food he held just above its' head. The boy had found the half-starved creature wandering outside the training area. Two weeks' worth of food had quickly restored the health of the small beast. Turles had grown quite attached to the tiny life-form and he made sure to keep it hidden from his father.

"TURLES! WHERE ARE YOU, YOU WORTHLESS BRAT?"

The young Saiyan hid his little playmate beneath a basket and rushed to see what his angry and obviously drunk father required of him.

"You called for me, Father?" Turles said nervously to the powerfully muscled Saiyan warrior in brown and gold armor.

"Sniveling whelp! Nappa tells me you were slacking off again today!" his sire accused.

"No, Father! I was…"

"Are you calling the General of the Saiyan Army a LIAR?" Turles's father roared.

A savage blow knocked the child to the floor before he could reply. Several brutal kicks struck his ribs.

Suddenly the_ Charladon_ raced into the room. The small creature buried its' small sharp fangs into the muscular right calf of the adult Saiyan.

"WHAT THE HELL?"

Turles sucked in his breath to stop from crying out as the hapless pup was cruelly crushed beneath his father's boot.

"YOU brought that filthy creature in here, DIDN'T YOU? CLEAN UP THIS MESS!" the furious Saiyan elite warrior barked.

(End of Flashback)

Turles sighed heavily at the painful memory. The _Charladon_ pup had been the one thing he had treasured during his miserable childhood. Would such a creature brighten Gohan's existence?

A low growl came from the Saiyan. Was he going soft where the brat was concerned? Of course not, surely a little reward now and then was simply positive reinforcement for the brat's obedience.

"How much for the_ Charladon_?" Turles inquired of the merchant that stood behind the table that held the rare tiny life-form.

A hooded figure observed the Saiyan. His gray scaled appendages rubbed their sharp claws together.

"_At last we've found you, Turles!_"….

…

So what did you think? Please let me know!


	25. A Surprise

Here's Chapter 25! Thanks to firelifeblizzard, ALi, Nimarin Driggen, Gohandominates, icewolf, Laania, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, humancygrax, and Chimera Prime for all the reviews on chapter 24.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Saiyansweetheart is EVEN NOW STILL posting my chapters! Please forgive any typos!

…

Salsir could hardly believe his good fortune. Turles was practically in his grasp….. But wait! Didn't the filthy little mixed-blood always accompany the Saiyan pirate? The Sarhassan was furious. Where was the brat?

'_My revenge won't be complete until I taste that mongrel's lifeblood, crush his spine under my boots and watch the light fade from his eyes as I_ _…_' the serpent-being's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by one of the huge blue reptilian bounty hunters that had agreed to help capture Turles.

"_There he is_! Surely the three of us can take him, we'll have the reward in our hands come morning!" the massive creature suggested.

"No, Marpas! I will have the life of the brat first no matter how great the promised reward!" Salsir hissed.

"Hah! We're not letting some half-breed hold us up!" the second of the reptilian hirelings huffed.

In a lightning-fast move, the Sarhassan had one set of his claws holding the partner of Marpas by the throat. His red eyes glittered with malice as he bared his long cruel fangs, a sickly green fluid oozed from them.

"Garban, Do you know what an agonizing death I can cause you with my venom? You will obey my orders without question. Am I understood?" Salsir said in an evil whisper.

"Yes, Sir!" both of the blue life-forms exclaimed fearfully.

"_WE WILL WAIT!"_

….

"A Charladon, Sir?" the green rat-faced pudgy merchant asked in disbelief. "Surely a warrior such as you would want something more appropriate. Something fit for hunting not this worthless waste of fur!"

"I ASKED for the price of the Charladon !" Turles growled.

"Yes! Of course! Forgive my ignorance, Sir!" the now frightened merchant declared. "Four tarinis, Sir!"

"I don't have anything that small!" the pirate commander snarled as he tossed a handful of the local currency onto the merchant's table.

"N-No problem, Sir! I'll get your change…." the rat-being squeaked.

"KEEP IT!" Turles snapped.

"So generous of you, Sir! DO enjoy your purchase, Sir!" the merchant simpered as he handed over the cage.

The tiny beast regarded Turles warily with its' huge dark eyes. It pulled the tiny tail tightly against its frail haunches. Turles lifted the cage with his right hand and strode away without a second glance at the rat merchant.

'_Saiyans! They give me the CREEPS! I'll just bet he bought that poor creature for an evening snack_!' the merchant thought with a shudder.

….

Gohan thanked Daiz for the four books the dark green-haired pirate had given him.

Zailora had gifted him with a set of throwing disks and promised to instruct him in their use.

It warmed the boy's heart that his two crewmates had made an effort to make his birthday special in spite of his current situation. Even more surprising was the fact that Turles had allowed them to do so despite his obvious annoyance with the notion of it all.

"A buncha foolishness if ya ask me!" Gartoas snorted.

"Nobody asked YOU!" Daiz growled.

"You didn't mind stuffing yourself with the cake!" Zailora snapped.

"SO WHAT? IT WAS GOOD CAKE, WENCH!" the Kardanagan shot back.

"Call me a wench again and I'll…." Zailora stopped in midsentence as Turles entered the ship.

"That's NO WAY to charm a lady, Gartoas. I suppose you're stuck with Daiz" the Saiyan pirate commander teased.

The dark green-haired female stifled a snicker as Gartoas gave her a murderous glare. Daiz gave an equally venomous look to his burly teammate.

"Sorry fer speakin' rudely, Commander" Gartoas sighed.

"I'm not the one deserving an apology" Turles pressed.

"I'd rather yank out muh…."

"Beggin' yer pardon, Miss!" the bearded bushy-haired pirate added quickly as he caught the dangerous glint in the Saiyan's obsidian eyes.

"No harm done!" Zailora chuckled.

Gohan wiped the icing from his face as Turles approached him carrying a small cage. Surely Turles wasn't going to give him a gift. _Was he?_

His stunned crewmates watched in disbelief as the black and silver armored warrior lifted a small furry form from the cage. A tiny canine life-form with brilliant red and yellow fur hung in the Saiyan's grasp. Its' thin tail with a small red plume of fur drooped.

Gohan eyed the animal with eyes as wide as saucers. Was the dog-like creature meant for him? He had never had a pet before, his mother had protested vehemently against the idea. Having an animal in their home would be unsanitary and its' tending an unnecessary expense. But mostly it would be a distraction that would take Gohan away from his studies. ChiChi had stubbornly ignored even her own husband's pleas to allow their son to have a pet.

"This is for….this is to teach you responsibility. You will attend to this _Charladon_'s care and will have the sole responsibility for its feeding and the cleaning of… _anything_ it may _deposit_ on the floor of this ship. Care for it improperly and I'll personally toss it out of the airlock. Am I understood, Brat?" Turles growled.

"Yes, Master Turles!" Gohan affirmed excitedly.

His teammates watched incredulously as the Saiyan pirate placed the _Charladon_ pup into the little half-blood's arms. Gohan gently stroked the animal's silky fur and was rewarded with a lick on his face.

The boy could have sworn that he heard Turles whisper as he walked away "_Treat it well"._

"So there's a heart in that stubborn Saiyan after all" Daiz mused.

"That's good to know" Zailora quipped.

"You're kidding right?" the former prince muttered as he shook his head in exasperation.

"Maybe, maybe not" the female Kabochan said with a smirk.

"Blasted females! Nothin' but trouble, tha whole lot of em'!" Gartoas snarled.

….

Daiz looked in on Gohan who was sleeping soundly in his room. The_ Charladon_ pup was curled up at the foot of the bed. He hadn't missed the look of sheer happiness in the youngster's eyes when the boy had accepted the little ball of fluff from Turles. It amazed the pirate that Turles had even considered such a thing. As soon as his chores were completed, Gohan had spent most of the evening playing with his new pet. Turles had seemed to pay no heed to the child's laughter at the pup's antics. Why of all things had the pirate commander given Gohan a _Charladon_?

….

Gohan found himself quite busy training the_ Charladon_ to avoid leaving 'deposits' on the ship's floors. Gartoas never failed to be the one who managed to step into them much to the amusement of Daiz. After being ordered to clean the Kardangan's boots several times, Daiz didn't find quite as much humor in the situation.

Ember was the name Gohan chose for the_ Charladon_ . Her brilliant color reminded him of a spark from a flame. She learned quickly and sat at the little half-Saiyan's feet as he piloted the ship or read his latest book. The boy made a habit of bringing small treats from his meals back to the ship for his pet. It amazed Daiz that Turles never discouraged the child from doing so.

…

"Zailora, Report to the training room!" Turles ordered.

"Now we'll see er' took down a notch or two!" Gartoas gloated.

"I've got to see _this_!" Daiz said as he followed the Saiyan and the green-haired female towards the training room.

"Ah ain't missin' the show!" Gartoas snorted.

The bearded pirate hurried after the trio.

Zailora blocked several small blasts fired by Turles. She managed to keep the Saiyan on his toes with her throwing disks. But the Kabochan female discovered that Turles was not above using underhanded tactics during their hand to hand combat. Dropping to the floor to avoid a vicious punch, Zailora gasped as the Saiyan warrior's left boot slammed into her ribcage. She lay motionless on the floor.

"That'll learn tha wench!" Gartoas snickered.

Daiz gave him a baleful look. He wondered if Zailora was okay.

Turles walked up to the female's still form. In a blur of speed, Zailora took the dark-skinned Saiyan from his feet. She held a razor-sharp throwing disk to Turles's throat.

"She's askin' fer it now!" the burly Kardanagan growled.

The former prince swallowed hard. What would Turles do now?

Both male pirates were startled by the sound of Turles's laughter echoing through the room.

"Excellent, Zailora!" Turles chuckled.

Zailora's eyes went wide as their positions suddenly reversed. The pirate commander's speed was unbelievable!

Daiz and Gartoas held their breath as it was now Turles that held the deadly disk. To the relief of the dark-green haired male pirate and his crewmate's disgust, the Saiyan held out his hand and helped the woman to her feet.

"Enough for today, Zailora" Turles affirmed.

"As you wish, Master Turles" Zailora said wearily.

"Not too shabby, huh?" Daiz declared.

"Pshaw! Figures e'd go easy on er'!" Gartoas groaned.

…..

"You handled yourself pretty well back there with Turles" Daiz remarked to Zailora.

"So how come I'm so sore?" the dark green-haired female sighed.

"Get used to it. Turles pushes hard" the male Kabochan informed her.

"I noticed" Zailora said flatly.

"You know who I was back on Kabocha. Who were you?" the former prince inquired.

"I was the daughter of Phateus" Zailora answered.

"Captain of the royal guard, a fine and honorable warrior" Daiz affirmed.

"Your brother had him murdered for not agreeing with his policies on ruling Kabocha. Then he promised me in marriage to Asdespas" the female pirate spat.

"That old fat monstrosity?" the male pirate's lip curled in disgust.

"Yes. An hour before the 'wedding' I cut his throat and ran for my life. I've learned how to survive on my own ever since" Zailora declared.

"She'll slaughter ya while ya sleep, Daiz" Gartoas warned.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure YOU'RE wide awake, Gartoas" Zailora said gaily.

Daiz snickered.

"Woman needs ta learn er' place!" the burly Kardanagan barked.

….

The brown-furred feline bounty hunter purred in satisfaction as he stared down at the unconscious form of the dark-skinned Saiyan known as Turles. It had been all too easy to lure the pirate into checking out the news of a rare Arkalazian sapphire being available for purchase. The amount of gas it had taken to subdue the Saiyan warrior would have killed a lesser being.

"You snooze, you lose, Salsir" the feline life-form chuckled.

Queen Raychalla herself would come to collect Turles and he would have the reward all to himself. Salsir would probably expire from pure rage.

"All too easy. Now let's get you confined until her majesty arrives" the cat-being murmured with pleasure.

…

Turles awoke and found himself in a small dank cell. Chains made of Sharliean steel bound his wrists to the wall above his head. They were too strong for even his considerable strength to break. His legs were confined in the same manner. He snarled in disgust at the way he had allowed himself to be taken in by the promise of a simple gem no matter how priceless it might have been.

A tiny window allowed a small amount of light into his cell. The Saiyan's face was lit by an evil smile as he discovered the source of the illumination. It was apparent that he wouldn't have to endure such poor accommodations for the night after all.

"Raychalla..dear sweet Raychalla. You forgot to inform the imbeciles you hired about a few crucial details" Turles snickered.

The Saiyan pirate commander concentrated on the full moon and relished the surge of power that surged within him as his form began to change…

…

So what did you think? Please let me know!


	26. A Hunter's Misfortune

Here's Chapter 26! Thanks to Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Parselmaster, icewolf, Laania, firelifeblizzard, Ali, Gohandominates, supervegeta778, Nimarin Driggen, humancygrax, 9th z-fighter and Red chimera for all the reviews on chapter 25. And a VERY special thanks to Mohammad Alzo for all the reviews on Chapters 11 through 25!

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: OF COURSE Saiyan sweetheart is STILL posting my chapters! Please excuse any typos!

…

A lone figure sauntered up to the counter of one of planet Gamor's seediest taverns. The brown furred feline bounty hunter wore a smug expression as he ordered a rather high-priced potent beverage.

"Hey, Tazdin! Since when can _you_ afford the good stuff?" a scarlet colored wasp-like life-form demanded.

"Let's just say I've had a run of good luck, Borazoz!" Tazdin chuckled.

"Hah! You NEVER bring anyone in that's really worth anything, you mangy flea-bag!" Borazoz huffed as he ordered his own drink.

"Ever hear of Turles?" the feline snickered.

'Yeah! Who hasn't?" the wasp-being snickered. He smoothed back his antennae with one of his eight appendages.

"Scooped him up earlier this evening" Tazdin boasted.

"WHAT?" Borazoz sputtered as he choked on the mouthful of liquor he had just attempted to swallow. Red stains appeared on the already soiled faded blue tunic the scarlet creature wore.

"BUT HOW? There are dozens of hirelings looking for him and Salsir is after him! _That monster is_ _dangerous, he's pure evil_!" Borazoz gasped.

"Let me tell you….." the brown-furred feline began…..

(Flashback)

Turles had been aware that someone had been following him for some time. He'd noticed when he had purchased the Charladon earlier. After taking a roundabout way back to the ship, the Saiyan had been certain that whoever had initially taken up his trail had at last given up. However after dropping off the Charaladon, Turles's senses picked up someone dogging his steps once more. He would have to make sure to keep them away from where his ship and crew were hidden.

Satisfied that he had eluded his unwanted company, the dark-skinned Saiyan began to embark on his intended path. Turles had received word through his numerous sources that a rare Arkalazian sapphire was available for the right price. Stealing such acquisitions were what pirates like Turles lived for. It was for the challenge as well as the prize.

Turles warily observed the location that was said to hold the fabled jewel. No threat was apparent. Stepping into the shabby wooden building, the Saiyan warrior leered as he caught sight of the glittering gem. There was no one in sight except for the terrified owner of the small shop. No doubt the trembling green beetle-like being would hand over the precious Arkalazian stone in exchange for his life. Turles smirked, he wasn't making any promises.

"I believe you know what I'm here for" the pirate commander stated coldly.

"P-Please, S-Sir! I have several items I'm s-sure t-that would appease you! Without the sale of the sapphire I'll lose my business!" the merchant pleaded.

A cruel smile lit the Saiyan's face as he ended the hapless shop-keeper's life with a single blast.

"Seems that you've just went out of business! " Turles chuckled.

'_Yeesh! I just KNEW that Turles would take the bait and he's as ornery as I've heard_ ' the bounty hunter known as Tazdin thought to himself as he now stood hidden behind the door of the shop the Saiyan had entered.

Turles whirled about as he sensed another presence "SHOW YOURSELF NOW!"

"OKAY!" Tazdin shouted as he leapt from behind the door after he had flung two capsules in the Saiyan's direction.

Turles cursed himself for a fool as clouds of_ Zasquiran_ gas began to fill the small room. Saiyans were known for the ability to hold their breath for a considerable amount of time but he had allowed himself to be caught unawares. In doing so the Saiyan pirate had taken in several breaths of the nerve-paralyzing gas. But even as he sank to his knees Turles fought to fire a deadly blast at the bounty hunter.

Swallowing hard, the feline being threw _three more_ capsules at the Saiyan. If the gas took his life, the queen would refuse to pay the promised bounty but there were scores of others who would gladly pay a fortune for a lifeless Turles. It was a win-win situation after all.

Tazdin waited for several moments after Turles had collapsed before daring to walk over to the Saiyan. A smile appeared under the mask the bounty hunter had worn to prevent_ his_ inhaling of the gas. The pirate commander's chest rose and fell. So the damn monkey still lived!

By aiming a rough kick to the still form of Turles, the bounty hunter was certain that the Saiyan warrior was unconscious. He chuckled at thought of how Salsir was going to react when he discovered that his prize had been snatched away before he could claim it.

"All too easy! Let's get you confined until her majesty arrives to collect you" Tazdin purred in self-satisfaction.

(End of Flashback)

"_I DON'T believe you_!" Borazoz snorted.

Tazdin glowered at the waspish life-form "He's being held at the KEEP. C'mon! I'll show him to you!"

"M-Maybe I should take your word for it after all" Borazoz muttered nervously.

The Keep was a place that was freely used as a confinement area by the locals who made their living by hunting down other beings for profit. No questions were ever asked about the unfortunate souls who were stored there.

"What're you scared of? He couldn't hurt a _fly_ right now!" the feline bounty hunter scoffed.

"If you're SURE of that" his companion insisted.

…

After fortifying his courage with a few more drinks, Borazoz merrily followed Tazdin to the Keep. No sooner had they arrived at the dismal place, than a mighty roar pierced the air. The Keep seemed to explode and a massive form in black and silver armor stepped from the wreckage. Tazdin could only gasp in disbelief at the sight of the monstrous Oozaru that glared down at him with murderous red eyes.

Had Turles truly transformed into this nightmarish creature? It was the only logical explanation. But then that meant….The feline bounty hunter gave a blood-curdling scream as the Great Ape's boot was the last sight that he and the wasp being ever laid eyes on…..

The furious Oozaru obliterated several other buildings and crushed a few more of the populace for good measure. Cruel laughter rang out from the ape's throat as he relished the carnage around him. It had been quite some time since Turles had allowed himself to transform into an Oozaru. Then with an earth-shattering roar he strode away.

…

Queen Raychalla could barely keep from smiling. Turles had been apprehended at long last. The extravagant reward she had promised was a mere pittance in comparison to the satisfaction she would enjoy over the Saiyan's capture and her ensuing vengeance. In mere moments she would arrive at planet Gamor and Turles would be at her mercy…..

….

A weary Turles returned to the ship, his crew noticed immediately but they dared not question the Saiyan. The black and silver armored warrior dropped into a seat and barked orders to Gohan.

" Set coordinates for planet Artruya, Brat!"

"Yes, Commander!" Gohan affirmed as he quickly slipped into the pilot's seat.

Turles sighed heavily. One paid a price for transforming into the form of the Oozaru. Not only was undergoing the transformation painful but one felt drained afterwards. The Saiyan shrugged, he would be himself again in no time.

…

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S GONE?" Queen Raychalla screeched.

"Look, Lady! All I know is some kinda monster tore up our holding cells and there's no sign of any Saiyan. He either escaped or he got smushed with the others. We've got a hell of a mess to clean up! Stay outta the way, huh?" an orange-skinned muscular reptilian being huffed.

"How DARE you speak to Queen Raychalla in such a manner?" the pirate queen's purple-skinned humanoid attendant shouted indignantly.

"She ain't MY queen, Mister!" the reptile snorted as he stomped away.

The queen gasped suddenly. Monster? Of course! Turles had transformed in order to escape. Why hadn't she warned the buffoons she had hired?

"Not to worry, Your Majesty. I knew that fool wouldn't be able to keep Turles contained. We'll deliver him to you in short order" a cloaked figure hissed.

"I'm holding you to that, Salsir!" Raychalla snapped.

….

So what did you think? Please let me know!


	27. So Near Yet So Far

Here's Chapter 27! Thanks to Ali, icewolf, Gohandominates, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Nimarrin Driggen, firelifeblizzard, Red Chimera, Airgo, and humancygrax for all the reviews on chapter 26.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Saiyansweetheart is posting my chapters for the moment. I hope to have my internet access in another week or so. Please excuse any typos!

…..

Gohan managed a flawless landing on planet Arturay. He looked to Turles for approval. Gartoas snorted as Turles gave a nod and ruffled the boy's hair. The commander was definitely going soft to his opinion. Not to mention he certainly spoiled the brat.

Daiz suppressed a grin. Despite Turles's cold demeanor the half-Saiyan child managed to bring out a different side of the Saiyan pirate at times.

The burly Kardanagan mumbled under his breath as Zailora walked into view. An icy stare was the Kabochan female's only response.

A soft bark brought a smile to Gohan's face. The Charladon pup was pawing at him, her silly tail wagging furiously.

"You're right, Ember! I need to feed you before we leave the ship….."

…

"Remember ChiChi! Everything has to be absolutely _perfect_ this morning! Artruay is expecting someone _very_ important to arrive shortly" Kqarsayla declared.

The Ox-king's daughter wondered whose impending arrival had the rotund four-armed orange being worked up into such a nervous fervor.

"Relax! We have everything in order….." Chi-Chi began.

" _You don't understand_ ! This person is an absolute nightmare of a perfectionist! He's literally _impossible_ to please!" Kqarasayla interrupted.

Beads of sweat were appearing on the jittery bald female's head.

"Calm down! ChiChi is right! Everything will go smoothly. I assure you!" a gruff voice resounded behind her.

Chi-Chi smiled at the sight of the yellow uniformed Namek who was her assistant in the kitchen. Makalo had proved himself to be an invaluable aide even though she had initially balked at working with him. She had never fully trusted Piccolo and working with a mirror-image of him had been disconcerting at the least.

She should actually be _his_ assistant. After all he knew how to operate the complex devices used to prepare the restaurant meals as well as how to properly incorporate the myriad of strange ingredients ChiChi had never seen before. The gravely-voiced Namek had turned out to be a gentle soul who enjoyed his work immensely. He cared not a whit about having an important title and he never consumed a single morsel of the foods he helped prepare.

Artruay was pacing nervously himself as he waited for a certain personage to arrive at his restaurant. The thin gray reptile drew in a shaky breath and walked forward.

"_Lord Turles! So good to see you again…!"_

…_._

Turles curled his lip in disdain as the golden-robed gray reptile fawned over him. Curiosity made Gohan blurt out a question.

"Sir, This planet is named Arturay and your name is Artruay. Are you named after the planet, Sir?"

Daiz waited for Turles to scold the boy for speaking out of turn but the Saiyan allowed the question.

Artruay smiled "Yes. How astute of you to notice. My ancestors settled this world so my name is a slight variation on that of our lovely home."

The reptilian businessman wondered if the youngster belonged to Turles but he dared not ask. Considering the Saiyan's reputation, he wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. Seeing the furry tail wrapped tightly around the boy's waist and the similarities in their appearance he was almost certain that the Saiyan pirate was indeed the boy's sire.

"We'll discuss business later, Artruay. I expect a meal before we expire from hunger!" Turles barked.

"Yes! Yes! Of course!" the reptile quickly summoned a serving girl to escort Turles and his crew to their table.

Gohan's eyes went wide as he sampled the first bite of the dish he had chosen. He tried yet another bite, surely he was mistaken.

'_THIS TASTES JUST LIKE MOM'S FOOD DID!' _the startled youth realized.

But that was impossible the boy realized. His mother no longer existed nor did the planet he had once called home. He struggled to recall his mother's appearance. Why was it so hard to do now?

"Is the food not to your liking, Brat?" Turles's voice brought him back to the present.

"It's just fine, Commander!" the little half-blood spoke up quickly.

Everything Gohan ate made him wonder at the eerie similarity of the foods with those that he had once enjoyed on Earth.

Turles was pleased, the fare was far superior than that he had sampled at a previous visit to the establishment.

….

ChiChi found herself to be extremely curious over the identity of the "guest" that had even Artruay acting as if his life depended on pleasing whoever the 'perfectionist' was. She decided to slip out of the kitchen for a quick peep. A quick glance and no one would be the wiser.

The slim brunette scanned the patrons that were seating in the dining area. She sucked in her breath at the sight of a most imposing figure. A_ Saiyan_ stood speaking to Artruay.

"G-Goku?" Chi-Chi gasped as she took in the spiky black hair and familiar appearance.

But her husband's doppelganger had a much darker complexion and his cold cruel gaze would never have appeared on gentle Goku's face. The Saiyan had an almost arrogant air about him. Instead of a orange gi, he wore gleaming black and silver armor. Expensive- looking polished black boots encased his feet. Not a hair was out of place and a thick furry blackish-brown tail encircled his waist.

"_He's certainly NOT Goku" _ChiChi whispered sadly to herself.

She was about to step back into the kitchen when a child walked over to the Saiyan. Goku's widow dug her fingers into the doorway at the sight of him.

"_GOHAN!"_ ChiChi choked out.

She rubbed her eyes and looked again. _It really was Gohan!_ Her son's appearance had drastically changed. His hair was much longer and his soft pudgy body was now defined with muscle. A light tan had replaced his former pale skin. He wore armor identical to that of the Saiyan only it was red and black. His small feet wore gleaming black boots and his tail was wrapped around his waist.

"_MY BABY! GOHAN_!" ChiChi cried.

Three others besides her son accompanied the Saiyan, a humanoid male with long dark green hair and pale skin wearing green and gold armor. A massive bronze-skinned being with bushy brown hair and a matching beard who wore brown and black armor. Surprisingly, the third was a female who resembled the dark green-haired male. She was garbed in ice-blue and black armor.

The group began to head for the exit. _They were taking her son with them_!

"NO! NO!" ChiChi screamed as she tried to make her way through the noisy throng of restaurant patrons.

But it was too late, Gohan was gone! She sank into a sobbing heap on the restaurant floor…..

…

Bulma knew something was amiss the moment ChiChi entered their quarters. Her friend's eyes were swollen and her cheeks were stained with tears.

"ChiChi! What happened? Are you all right?" the blue-haired scientist asked worriedly.

"I-I saw him! I SAW GOHAN!" ChiChI screeched.

"WHAT? ARE YOU SURE?" Bulma gasped.

"I SAW HIM! AND THAT MONSTER HAS HIM!" the Ox-King's daughter sobbed.

"What are you talking about? WHO has him?" Bulma pressed.

"_A-A S-SAIYAN HAS GOHAN_!" ChiChi wailed.

Bulma wrapped her arms around her weeping brunette companion.

"Shh! ChiChi! We know Gohan's alive! We'll find him! I promise you! _We'll find him_!" the azure-haired scientist promised.

…..

"Looks like I have an assignment on my own when we land again" Zailora mused.

"Oh? And what might that be?" Daiz inquired.

Before she could reply, the bearded Kardanagan shuffled into the room.

"What er' the two of ya schemin' about?" Gartoas huffed.

"It's a big DARK secret!" the dark green-haired female snickered.

"Keep sassin' me woman and I'll be teachin' ya a lesson ya won't soon be forgettin!" the burly male pirate snarled.

"Anytime you're ready, Big Boy!" Zailora taunted.

"Careful, Gartoas. Zailora's been training quite a bit with Turles lately" Daiz cautioned as the green-haired female walked away.

"Two of em' bin' spendin' a bit_ too_ much time together ifn' ya ask me" Gartoas mumbled.

"I didn't mean to make you feel left out. Report to the training room, Gartoas!" Turles snickered.

…

"Ah'm getting' too old fer' this!" Gartoas groaned as he sat down painfully in his seat.

"If you want to get **OLDER** then watch that mouth of yours**" **Zailora advised.

The Kabochan female laughed at the nasty look the Kardanagan gave her.

"Ah'm gonna probly' freeze ta death! How do ya keep warm wearin' armor?" Gartoas complained.

"Well at least you'll die smelling better than you did in that rag you were wearing" Daiz teased.

"Havin' ta toss a right good piece o' clothin fer shame!" the burly pirate huffed.

"Yep! A shame Turles didn't make you do it_ sooner_!" the former prince chortled.

Gartoas glowered as Daiz and Zailora shared a laugh at his expense.

Gohan put down his book and wondered what was so funny.

…

Artruay sighed and shook his head as Bulma informed him of ChiChi's desperate plight.

"The situation is truly unfortunate, Bulma dear. But I'm afraid there's nothing I can do. Our planet is under Lord Turles's control for the time being."

"What do you mean 'for the time being'?" Bulma asked.

"Well, I am hoping that your inventions will interest someone that is_ far_ more powerful than the Saiyan" the thin gray reptile informed her.

…..

Zailora walked into the bridge area wearing a short light green silken garment that stopped mid-thigh. Matching shoes were on her feet. Instead of the usual braid, her long dark green hair was piled into an upsweep on her head. Both Daiz and Gartoas gaped at her appearance.

"Turles not payin' ya enough? Ya gonna be workin' tonight?" Gartoas hooted.

The stunned Kardanagan found himself flat on his back on the ship's cold floor. A small steely blade was at his throat.

"_When you're ready to die make a suggestion like that again!_" Zailora hissed.

Neither male pirate said a word as she exited the ship.

Daiz wondered what Turles's reaction to Zailora's behavior would have been. But Turles and Gohan were out somewhere on planet Meros. The Kabochan male was now very curious about his female counterpart's assignment.

…

Salsir grit his fangs in outrage as he realized that his quarry had departed planet Arturay shortly before his arrival.

"Master Artruay, Turles will be most disappointed that our paths crossed. He would surely be gratified if I were still able to meet him somewhere" the Sarhassan simpered.

'_Must be more of his pirate ilk' _Artruay thought to himself.

"I'm not sure if Lord Turles would…."

The serpent being had his fangs bared at the terrified restaurant owner. Sickly green fluid dripped onto the plush royal blue carpet in Artruay's private office.

"One bite will end your life. I require only a simple location in order to spare your miserable existence" Salsir hissed.

"_M-Meros! T-Turles went to Meros!" _ Artruay admitted fearfully.

….

So what did you think? Please let me know!


	28. A Mystery Revealed

Here's Chapter 28! Thanks to Ali,MohammadAlzor, Icewolf, Red Chimera, humancygrax, Belsareth, Ryo-chan wolfgirl and TrueDomination for all the reviews on chapter 27.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Two-hundred and eighty-eight reviews! You folks are AWESOME! Thanks SO much! And finally….I'M BACK! I have to share a school-owned computer for now but I'll try to personally reply to reviews as soon I can. I'm w-w-w-a-a-y-y behind reading and reviewing Fanfics so I'll be taking some time to TRY and catch up! THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR BEARING WITH ME!

daughterofrisingsun

…...

"I-I gave you the location. Now _please_ let me go!" Artruay begged Salsir.

The Sarhassan gave an evil laugh before he flung the unfortunate reptilian being into the far wall. It just figured that the weakling would be rendered unconscious quite easily. Salsir struck out several times with his heavy boots and smiled at the sickening crunching noises that followed. Satisfied that Artruay would expire in a most painful manner, he exited the office. The room's plush carpet was soon riddled with small puddles of Artruay's blood.

'_Pitiful Fool! As if I would leave an informant alive!' _Salsir snorted.

Bulma peeped in Artruay's office and let out a shriek. She rushed to his side and was appalled at the extent of his injuries. Hearing her cry, Artruay's assistant rushed in and gasped in horror.

"We need to get him to a healing station immediately!" the enormous green humanoid shouted.

"There's no time! I _might_ be able to save him! Help me get him to my lab!" the blue-haired scientist insisted.

The muscular green being easily lifted the critically injured gray reptile from the blood- drenched carpet and quickly followed after Bulma.

…..

Several hours passed and a weary Bulma sank gratefully into the cushioned seat of her desk. Artruay had survived the makeshift surgery she'd been forced to perform in hopes of sparing his life. His assistant stared down at his unconscious employer. Most of the Arturian businessman's skull and chest were heavily bandaged. A tube hung from his mouth and another from his chest. Both were attached to machinery that gave out tiny beeps at intervals.

Bulma sighed as she looked over at the massive green life-form. Shaggy blue hair hung down to his brawny shoulders, his piercing yellow eyes and grim expression gave evidence of his concern. He had his powerful arms folded over his chiseled chest. The tan leather garment he wore seemed as if it strained at the seams with his bulk.

"Will he survive, Miss Bulma?"

"I certainly hope so, Belas. I've done all I can" the former heiress of Capsule Corps mused.

….

"Hah! Salsir's on his trail and that Saiyan's not even gonna know what hit em' when that snake strikes!" a beefy blue-skinned simian creature guffawed as he downed another pint of a foul-smelling beverage.

Zailora grimaced in disgust as the ape-being put one of his hairy arms around her waist. She'd heard the offensive life-form bragging about his connections with the Sarhassan and decided to make his acquaintance. Did everyone in this dive of a tavern drink the malodorous brew the simian was putting away by the tankard? The putrid scent seemed to waft about all around.

"I told ya what I knew 'bout Salsir so how's bout' a kiss for my trouble? Huh, Beautiful?" the Kabochan female's admirer suggested.

The dark green-haired woman smiled sweetly and caressed the blue-skinned male's face. He smiled in return, regaling her with the sight of a mouthful of rotting teeth. Suddenly his eyes bulged and he pitched forward. Zailora carefully lowered him to the table and propped his chin onto his stone cup. She made sure that the blood seeping from his throat was concealed for the moment. With any luck, the other patrons of the tavern would think he had merely passed out. She wiped her concealed blade on the hapless ape-ling's own clothing.

"_Sorry, Pal. I never kiss on the first date!" _Zailora snickered.

After tossing a few coins on the table, Turles's crew member made a casual exit.

…..

Daiz grinned at the sight of Gohan entering the ship with an armload of new books from his excursion on Meros with Turles.

"MORE books!" Gartoas huffed as he rolled his eyes.

Turles ignored him as he stood listening to Zailora's report.

"Commander Turles. It appears that Artruay informed Salsir of your whereabouts" the Kabochan female declared.

"Of course" the dark-skinned Saiyan said flatly.

"So Artruay's tha one ta blame fer settin' Salsir on ya! Ah'm supposin' yer gonna be makin'n short work o' his worthless hide, Commander?" Gartoas queried.

"Artruay is weak. It was to be expected, Gartoas" Turles stated with a mere shrug of his shoulders.

"Master Turles! Surely some kinda punishment is due!" the burly Kardanagan protested.

"Artruay's safety is assured for as long as he is useful to me as is that of your own" the Saiyan replied darkly.

The bushy-haired bearded pirate fell silent at the implied warning.

"Should we be on our way, Master Turles?" Daiz asked.

"No. I'm not running from Salsir" the pirate commander stated.

The black and silver armored Saiyan returned his attention back to Zailora.

"It's time for you to complete your assignment" Turles insisted.

Zailora gasped as Turles pulled an Arkalazian sapphire from a pouch at his waist. She'd never seen such a magnificent gem! Its' flawless facets glittered with a rich aquamarine hue and the immense size of the sapphire was mind-boggling. The Saiyan was unable to close his fist around it.

"Take this to the Merchant District. Find Tarkalease. He will know what I require to have done with this" Turles ordered.

"As you wish, Commander" Zailora said as she quickly departed.

Daiz scratched his head in curiosity. Why did Turles want Zailora to find that old thief? What was he up to now?

"Can't believe es' trustin' that wench with such a prize!" Gartoas growled.

"Is it just Zailora or have you got something against ALL women? " the former Kabochan prince snorted.

"_There ain't no trustin' a female_! NOT A BLASTED ONE O' EM!" the massive pirate bellowed.

Pure rage darkened the Kardanagan's face as he stormed away from the bridge area.

Daiz stared blankly at Turles. The Saiyan sighed "I might have known having a female aboard would annoy him to no end."

"Dare I inquire what his problem is with females, Master Turles? " thedark green-haired pirate asked cautiously.

Just then a yawning Gohan entered the room, the Charladon pup followed closely at his heels.

"Is there anything else you require, Master Turles?" the youngster questioned.

"You may retire for the evening, Brat" Turles answered.

Gohan gave a small respectful bow and turned away "Time for bed, Ember!"

A shrill bark was the brilliant red and yellow hued pup's reply as she raced after him.

"Gartoas had the misfortune of being betrayed by a woman in his life. He tolerates those he pays for "leisure" but despises all others" the Saiyan pirate began….

(Flashback)

A purple and red robed figure stood out against the pink colored skies of Telusar. The powerfully muscled bronze-skinned warrior's face broke into grin as he observed his day's haul. Twenty-two containers of Lord Frieza's finest wines had been skillfully pilfered from the tribute ship from planet Galonos. Gartoas smoothed down his bushy brown hair a bit and made sure his beard looked presentable. As soon as his buyers appeared, he planned to take a certain lovely female out for a night on the town.

There were definite perks for being assigned to be responsible for the Ice-Jin's choice of beverage. With every delivery that came in, the Kardanagan skimmed a few cases for his own personal profit and no one was the wiser. A hefty sum of zeni weighed down his pockets after every successful heist he was able to pull off.

Gartoas suddenly found himself staring into the ugly face of Dodoria. The rotund pink behemoth shoved his meaty fist into the Kardanagan's chest.

"So YOU'RE the scum who's been stealing from Lord Frieza!" the furious general barked.

"Yer full o' it, Dodoria! Ah recovered this stolen shipment fer yer information!" Gartoas shot back.

"Oh DO give it up, Gartoas!" a familiar feminine voice rang out.

Gartoas gasped in horror at the sight of a beautiful pink-haired female with azure skin. NOT HER! It COULDN'T BE…!

"Malania! WHY?"

The blue-skinned woman smirked as she faced the stunned warrior. She ran her left hand over the polished blue and gold armor she proudly wore.

"Seriously, Gartoas! Did you REALLY think you matter to me? Lord Frieza has given me _Elite status_ for turning you in" Malania snickered.

Gartoas swallowed hard. He loved Malania with every fiber of his being. How could she possibly betray him for power and position?

"You're good as dead, Gartoas!" Dodoria exclaimed gleefully.

"NOT YET!" Gartoas cried out.

A quick flurry of ki-blasts turned Frieza's wine into a wall of flame. The Kardangan fled for his life…..

(End of Flashback)

"WHEW! That explains a LOT, Commander" Diaz sighed.

"Indeed" Turles mused.

…

Zailora wondered why she received so many looks of disgust as she searched the Merchant District for Tarkalease. Her every inquiry about the elusive merchant garnered the same response. Well there was one last shop at the end of the District. The dilapidated stone and wood shop had certainly seen better days.

As the dark green-haired female entered the small building a wizened purple toad-like being startled her as he suddenly popped up from behind a counter. A toothless grin lit the strange blue robed creature's warty face.

"Greetings Pretty One! What do you want with old Tarkalease, hmmm?" the elderly life-form asked cheerfully.

Zailora held up the Arkalazian sapphire "Master Turles sent me with this."

"OH! So Turles is up to his old tricks again!"Tarkalease chuckled.

The merchant's leathery hands accepted the precious jewel from Zailora.

"AH! Turles must be _very_ confident in me! _Such an honor_! _This piece will be my masterpiece_!" the toad-ling chortled.

Zailora looked on in confusion. _What was Turles up to_?

…

"Dear Bulma, I truly owe you my life!" Artruay sighed.

The gray reptile bowed his head guiltily " I don't_ deserve_ your assistance."

" Don't say that! YOU saved _us_, Artruay!" Bulma insisted.

Artruay shook his head "I can't begin to_ imagine_ how poor ChiChi must feel!"

"Maybe it would help a bit if ChiChi knew Gohan was okay….You know….treated well and…" the blue-haired scientist began.

"Stop, Bulma!" the Arturian businessman interrupted. "I won't lie to you. I'm afraid Turles is as cruel and evil as they come."

"POOR CHICHI!" Bulma wailed.

…

Raychalla's blue eyes flashed with anger as she regarded the Sarhassan that stood before her.

"YOU _STILL_ HAVEN'T CAPTURED TURLES!" the pirate queen fumed.

"Rest assured, I shall do so shortly!" Salsir hissed.

"You don't have ANYTHING to lure him in!" the ivory-haired female pressed.

An evil glint suddenly appeared in the snake-being's demonic red eyes.

"Oh, I do. Your Majesty! _I MOST CERTAINLY DO…!"_

…_.._

So what do you think? Please let me know!

daughterofrisingsun


	29. The Secret

Here's Chapter 29! Thanks to MohammadAlzo, Ali, astartes88, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Red Chimera, Ryven flame dancing Saiyan, icewolf, Hoshi124 and gohan90 for all the reviews on chapter 28. Thanks also to Super Vegetarott for the review on chapter 1.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters, Akira Toriyama does!

A/N: Lost Mom a year ago on 4/14. I didn't realize how hard that day would hit me. Writing has kept me from getting TOO down in the dumps. Two-hundred and ninety-eight reviews! THANKS EVERYONE!

…

The ancient purple toad-being gasped in surprise as he looked up from his counter only to gaze into the cold onyx eyes of Turles. He had not even heard the Saiyan warrior enter his shop.

"I believe you have something for me ,Tarkalease" the Saiyan pirate declared.

"Yes! Yes! My greatest work of all! Master Turles will be quite pleased with old Tarkalease!" the wizened toad insisted.

"We shall see" the dark-skinned Saiyan growled.

Tarkalease rummaged through a drawer and lifted out a small white cloth covered bundle. Toothless gums grinned as he placed the bundle into the Saiyan's hands.

A wicked smirk lit the pirate commander's face as he removed the scrap of cloth and examined the object beneath it.

"_Well done, Tarkalease_ ! I suppose I can allow your decrepit old carcass to exist for a few more years. I won't destroy this world…. _for now_" Turles taunted.

"Always a pleasure to serve Lord Turles!" the wizened elderly creature exclaimed timidly.

…

Gartoas shook his head as he watched Gohan go through a series of drills Turles had ordered him to practice.

"The brat's getting' stronger by the day. What's gonna happen ifn' he surpasses Turles?" the burly pirate huffed.

"That's why Turles has to keep him in line. Poor kid wants approval so badly it's more effective than punishment" Daiz mused.

"Hmmph! _He's stuck with Turles!_ Where else is he going to go, hmmm?" Zailora snapped.

"Ya don't seem ta mind bein' at 'is beck an' call yerself!" the Kardanagan growled.

"It's called doing my job, you Big Ape!" the Kabochan female shot back.

"Knock it off, you two!" Daiz barked.

'_Can't get those two in the same room without them going at _it!' the dark green-haired pirate thought to himself.

Zailora snorted and stomped out of the training room. She was still wearing the short pale green dress and Daiz had to admit he didn't mind the view at her departure.

"Yer wastin' yer time. Wench has 'er eye on Turles. Ah'd stake muh beard on it!" Gartoas muttered.

"Really? _You could use a shave!" _Daiz snickered.

Surely his crewmate was mistaken the former prince pondered. He _was_ mistaken. Wasn't he?

….

"What ARE you blathering about Salsir?' Raychalla sighed in exasperation.

"I'm quite certain that I can lure Turles here with the proper_ bait_" the serpent-being hissed.

"And just _what_ do you plan on "baiting" him with?" the ivory-haired queen demanded.

"_I am referring to her Majesty_!" Salsir announced as he leered at the pirate monarch.

"I did NOT say that I was going to…."

"_I NEVER SAID YOU HAD A CHOICE!_" the Sarhassan declared with a hellish smile.

'_What have I gotten myself into_?' Raychalla wondered as she glared at the laughing snake-ling.

…

Daiz wondered about the Kardanagan pirate's comment earlier that day, Zailora sat glaring daggers at the pretty serving girl that openly flirted with Turles during the noon meal the crew shared.

Long lavender hair hung to the female's slim scantily-clad emerald-hued waist. Her bright pink garment was cut low in the front and barely covered the essentials below.

"Is tha green-eyed monster nippin' at ya?" Gartoas teased.

Zailora waited until the bearded pirate shoveled in a mouthful of food when she gave him a quick jab to the ribs with her elbow. Sucking air in on the impact, Gartoas began to cough violently. It took several seconds for the massive crewman to clear his lungs.

"We are here to consume our meal _NOT to_ inhale it, Gartoas!" Turles scolded.

The Kabochan female merely smirked at the glowering Gartoas.

"_And you're supposed to be the kid at this table"_ Daiz whispered, getting a giggle from Gohan.

…

Artruay tried to comfort an inconsolable ChiChi. Tears trickled down the slender brunette's cheeks. An occasional sob was audible now and then.

"ChiChi, My Dear. Are you _sure_ the boy with Turles was truly your son?" the gray reptile questioned.

ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? OF COURSE I'M SURE!" ChiChi screamed.

"If it will help at all, the boy seemed well-cared for. He didn't appear to lack for nourishment. Not to mention he was _very_ well dressed. Such apparel is quite expensive" Artruay offered.

"_That MONSTER has my baby and you're worried about WHAT HE WAS WEARING_?" the irate daughter of the Ox-King screeched.

"CHICHI! Artruay was only trying to help!" Bulma cut in quickly.

"I know. I'm so sorry, Artruay" the widow of Goku said softly.

"It's quite all right, ChiChi. I know this isn't easy for you" her employer affirmed.

….

"Marpas, You put the word out that the queen of Quarshrim is now my prisoner?" Salsir eagerly asked the massive blue reptilian bounty hunter.

"Yes, Salsir. Turles sent his reply" Marpas said nervously.

"I suppose he will be arriving soon?" the Sarhassan went on. His red eyes glittered with excitement.

Marpas swallowed hard "H-He s-sent word…"

"Out with it, you imbecile!" Salsir snarled.

"Turles sent word that he…..THAT HE COULDN'T CARE LESS!"

"_WHAT_?" Raychalla fumed.

Salsir was outraged. Then he chuckled softly.

"Treacherous ape! I know Turles has something planned" the serpentine life-form mused.

"_WE'LL BE READY FOR HIM_!"

….

Turles entered his ship walking slowly and apparently gasping for air. The left side of his armor of crushed as if a giant fist had slammed into it. Gartoas and Daiz gaped in disbelief. Gohan followed the Saiyan with his head hanging low.

"M-Master Turles, I didn't mean…"

"Quiet, Brat! No need to apologize for _my_ carelessness!" Turles growled out.

"Commander, What…." Daiz began.

"I just need the tank for a few moments!" Turles wheezed.

At that moment, Zailora appeared "WHAT IN KAMI'S NAME?"

"NOT A WORD, WOMAN!" the Saiyan pirate barked.

"FINE! I'll_ keep_ your little secret but you need to get in that tank_ immediately_… Commander!" she added quickly.

"YES, MOTHER!" Turles quipped.

Zailora's face flushed and she stormed from the room.

'_As if MY mother EVER showed any concern_' the dark-skinned Saiyan thought to himself.

Gartoas and Daiz turned to Gohan.

"I'm NOT allowed to talk about it!" the youngster announced as he shuffled past leaving the two bewildered pirates in his wake.

…

So what did you think? Please let me know!

daughterofrisingsun


	30. The Lesson

Here's Chapter 30! Thanks to Gohandominates, SCSTAFF, MohammadAlzo, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, firelifeblizzard, Red Chimera, icewolf, Hoshi124 and Person345 for reviewing chapter 29. Thanks also to Person345 for the additional review on chapter 28.

A/N: Sorry for the late update! Bad weather and preparing for a housing inspection has kept me off the computer! The reviews are OVER 300! Thanks SO MUCH EVERYBODY!

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters, Akira Toriyama does!

…

Turles left the rejuvenation tank within an hour's time. The crushed ribs on his left side and punctured left lung were now fully healed. He could have incurred injuries far worse or even his demise with the risk he was taking.

'_Gohan must learn the lesson I've set before him. There is no one else to instruct him on how to do so. As much as I disgusted my father, it's surprising that he actually chose to GIVE ME that instruction_' Turles thought to himself.

(Flashback)

"Any Saiyan that possesses their tail can transform into the Great Ape after viewing the full moon, Brat. But only a select few have the capacity to _control_ that transformation. When properly trained one is able to speak and make rational decisions rather than run amuck mindlessly. Also actions performed in the transformed state are not simply forgotten" Turles's father insisted.

"Imagine all the strength of the Oozaru with the intelligence to use that power effectively….."

"Is ANY of this sinking into that simple mind of yours, Brat?" the brown and gold armored elite taunted.

"Yes, Father!" a very young Turles spoke up quickly.

"I _DON'T_ believe you!" his sire snorted.

The dark-skinned Saiyan youth tried to think of what to do next. Ever since his father had lost his prestigious position as part of the Royal Guard, the Saiyan elite chose to take out his temper on his young son in addition to his usual cruelty and disdain. He blamed the boy's low ranking as being the cause of the loss of his position. Never mind the fact that he had showed up for duty almost too soused to stand.

In an attempt to please his scowling parent, Turles repeated his father's words in their entirety.

"ARE YOU MOCKING ME?" the Saiyan officer barked as his right fist slammed into his son's right cheek…

(End of Flashback)

'_Father BEAT that lesson into me more so than instructing it' _Turles mused bitterly. '_Had I injured __**him **__during my_ _training he simply would have disposed of me."_

When Turles returned to the bridge of his ship, he was surprised to find his damaged breastplate lying in his usual seat. The black and silver armor had been expertly repaired.

Daiz walked over "Master Turles, Zailora took the liberty of taking your armor to be repaired."

The Saiyan pirate merely nodded but he was pleased indeed. Of course it was the ever efficient Zailora. The Kabochan female certainly kept things running smoothly on his ship. Not to mention she could slip into places unnoticed to gather information where Daiz and Gartoas would quickly be recognized.

The dark green-haired female had stumbled onto the fact that Gohan was being instructed to control himself while in the form of the Oozaru. She kept the knowledge to herself neither Daiz or the Kardanagan had the slightest inkling that Turles had been injured by Gohan while the child was in his transformed state.

Even though the little half-Saiyan was making significant progress it was dangerous to work too closely with him too soon. The dark-skinned Saiyan had found that out the hard way. He would have to rethink how he went about the boy's training…..

…..

Gohan shifted nervously in his seat as the Saiyan pirate commander strode past him. The seven-year-old wondered what his punishment was going to be. As if sensing something amiss, Ember stood on her hind legs and pressed her little paws on Gohan's shoulder while letting out a whimper.

"You may take the beast outside for a while, Brat. Don't go too far from the ship" Turles warned.

"Shouldn't I be punished first, Commander?" the Earth-raised youth asked dejectedly.

"Have you _done_ something to deserve punishment?" the Saiyan adult questioned.

"Earlier, Master Turles. You were injured" Gohan said softly.

"I believe we already discussed that. I won't fault you for _my_ error in judgment. Now off with you" Turles said flatly.

"Yes, Commander!" the relieved demi-Saiyan chortled as he raced off with the Chaladon pup at his heels.

...

Queen Raychalla had spent three days on planet Meros and her patience was wearing thin...

"Salsir, You're wasting your time waiting on Turles. He's obviously NOT coming" Raychalla declared

"No need to be rude, Your Majesty. Simply because I merely _suggested_ that you were my prisoner" the Sarhassan simpered.

"You certainly did your best to be _convincing_ of that fact!" the ivory-haired queen snapped.

"Now, now! We both want Turles to answer for his crimes so.." Salsir began.

"You are NOT to KILL Turles! _I_ _will deal with him_!" the pirate monarch interuppted.

"Are you angry with ME, Your Majesty? Or is it that your dashing monkey didn't care to come to your rescue?" the serpent being needled.

"HOW DARE YOU? That you even consider insulting the Queen of..."

"Your title does NOT impress me!" Salksir hissed. " Do as you will with the Saiyan full-blood I want only the boy"

"Done!" the queen affirmed.

One of the huge green armored blue reptilian life-forms that accompanied Salsir entered the room. A wide grin lit his repulsive face.

"And why are YOU looking so pleased with yourself, Marpas?" the Sarhassan snorted.

"I think we found a way to make Turles come here" Marpas answered excitedly.

"Have you now? DO go on!" Salsir pressed.

"Well, Garban and I found out that Turles had a new little spy lurkin' around. She's a purty little thing too!" Marpas snickered.

"REALLY?" Raychalla snapped as she folded her arms across her ample figure.

"_YOU POOR THING_! No wonder Turles didn't come rushing to your rescue! You've been_ replaced!" _Salsir taunted.

The queen of Quarshim's face flushed but she fumed silently much to the Sarhassan's amusement.

A green armored gargatuan blue reptilian life-form entered the room. It was Garban, Marpas's partner. The two bounty hunters were fearful of the Sarhassan. But they desperately wanted their portion of the reward the pirate queen had promised. Garban was not alone, he shoved along a slim dark green-haired female in pale blue and silver armor. Ki-controlers were locked about her wrists.

Raychalla walked over and scowled as she observed 'Turles's spy'.

"A Kabochan? _Seriously_? And just WHAT duty do you perform on Turles's ship?" the pirate queen demanded.

Zailora merely stared straight ahead and remained silent.

"I AM **TALKING** TO YOU, YOU LITTLE STRUMPET!" Raychalla raged.

In a blur of movement, Zailora had Garban lying on the floor and groaning as he held his midsection. Her wrists were still bound but she made a break for the door. Raychalla reached the entrance first. She snatched a large section of the Kabochan female's hair and yanked it cruelly.

"YOU WILL ANSWER ME! WHAT is your assignment on Turles's ship?"

Zailora spit right into the livid queen's face.

Salsir's laughter rang out as he snatched the dark green-haired female by the throat "It seems our little guest has no manners!"

"Go to Hell!" Zailora huffed.

A blow from the Sarhassan rendered the Kabochan unconcious.

"There now! She'll behave for a while" the snake-ling snickered as he flung Zailora to the floor.

"You may have the boy but that WITCH'S life is MINE!" Raychalla snarled.

"By all means! I have no use for her after we deal with Turles and I end that half-breed" Salsir shrugged.

...

Turles frowned. Zailora should have returned to the ship several hours ago.

"Commander, Ah warned ya 'bout countin' on a female. She's probably out spendin' every zeni ya paid 'er on..." Gartoas began.

Daiz rushed into the ship "Master Turles! Salsir has Zailora!"

An angry growl came from the Saiyan pirate. Gartoas kept silent, he knew Turles wouldn't tolerate anyone going after a member of his crew. Even if it was just a worthless female.

' 'Ought ta be glad 'es rid o' her!' the Kardsanagan thought to himself.

Turles was going to face Salsir in his own good time but the Sarhassan had forced his hand.

"I suppose it's time to deal with Salsir" Turles sighed."I'll handle him ALONE!"

"Are ya sure that's wise, Master Turles?"Gartoas spoke up.

A baleful glare from the pirate commander silenced him.

"Master Turles! Let _me_ go with you!" Gohan pleaded. "I know how to..."

"NO! STAY IN THE SHIP!"Turles barked.

"Yes, Commander" the little half-blood responded hanging his head.

...

Gohan carefully stole out of the ship. _It wouldn't be too hard for him to track down Turles..._

_..._

So what do you think? Please let me know!


	31. The Nightmare Takes Form

Here's Chapter 31! Thanks to Red Chimera, Hoshi124, Ali, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Person345 and MohammadAlzor for all the reviews on chapter 30. Thanks also to Super Vegetarottfor the review on chapter 2.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters, Akira Toriyama does!

…

Gohan slipped out of the ship shortly after Turles's departure. The pirate commander would be furious with him for disobeying. But the little half-Saiyan couldn't shake the feeling that Turles shouldn't have went after Salsir on his own….

…

"I'm going to ask _AGAIN_! WHERE_ IS_ TURLES?" the enormous blue reptile bellowed.

His great fist punctuated his question by striking Zailora just below her right eye socket. Garban snickered as he felt the bones give way. The Kabochan female's delicate facial features were nearly unrecognizable after several hours of abuse by the massive bounty-hunter. To his utter frustration, she stubbornly remained silent.

Zailora gasped for air as Garban suddenly lifted her by the throat. She desperately kicked out at him. He dropped her to the floor by simply opening his fist. A swift kick to her right side followed. The woman sucked in air painfully but gave no other audible response.

"I appreciate your diligence, Garban" Salsir chuckled evilly "But I believe I can offer a more _effective_ form of _persuasion_."

The Sarhassan walked over and seized the dark green-haired pirate's right arm. Zailora was powerless in his iron grip.

Raychalla had simply watched up until now. She had actually enjoyed the suffering Garban had subjected Turles's female crew member to. How dare this little harlot think _she_ was worthy of Turles?

"Her life is MINE, Salsir!" the pirate queen huffed.

"Not to worry, Your Highness. I'm _not_ going to kill her. She's only going to _wish_ she had expired!" the serpent being declared.

Zailora could only watch in horror as Salsir bared his fangs and a sickly green fluid emitted from them. He dipped the very tip of a claw on his right appendage into the vile substance. Then the reptilian monstrosity raked that same claw across the helpless female's wrist. An evil smirk lit his face as he released her and stepped back.

It wasn't long before a fine sheen of sweat appeared on the Kabochan's forehead. Her body jerked involuntarily as painful spasms rippled through her muscles. Soft whimpers were suddenly heard coming from the tortured nobleman's daughter. Zailora bit down on her lip to keep from screaming. It seemed as if fire surged through her veins.

Salsir sighed "Feisty isn't she? I'm sure we won't have long to wait to hear what we wish to know."

Raychalla stayed silent. She smiled inwardly as she felt a very familiar power level nearby. She would say nothing to the Sarhassan. _Turles was here and SHE would face him_!

"I grow bored of this, Salsir. Perhaps I'll take a short rest until our expected guest arrives" the ivory-haired queen said imperiously.

"Certainly,Your Majesty."

...

Turles entered the abandoned spaceport that rumor had established as Salsir's lair of the moment. The Saiyan had taken the attack on his crew member as a personal affront. He was immediately on guard as he picked up the subtle scent of Vlalmora flowers. It could only mean Raychalla.

A wicked grin crossed his face, he certainly had a surprise for her!...

...

"Gohan! Gohan? Where are you, Squirt?" Daiz called.

The former Kabochan prince slowly came to the realization that the little half-blood was nowhere to be found on the ship. Daiz smacked himself in the forehead.

_'I'll just bet he went after Turles! Why didn't I keep a better watch over him? Turles is going to kill us both_!' Daiz groaned.

"An' just where are ya takin' yerself? Turles ordered us ta stay put!" Gartoas grumbled.

"Gohan's run off, I have to go after him!" his dark green-haired crewman explained.

"Ah'm stayin' like Master Turles ordered" the burly Kardanagan insisted.

"Was wonderin' when tha brat would upn' run fer it" Gartoas mused.

"You ever think that Gohan went to help Turles?" Daiz snapped.

The massive shaggy brown-haired bearded pirate roared with laughter "Master Turles needin' help from tha runt? That'll be a day ta see fer' sure!"

The Kabochan growled in disgust as he hurried off to find Gohan. Hopefully before Salsir did...

...

Turles smirked as the pirate queen stepped in front of him. Her long unbound ivory hair swept about her. She wore armor of pink and silver and carried a ki blade in her right hand. Absolute fury radiated in her brilliant blue eyes, she looked every inch the pirate queen of Quarshim.

"Raychalla, Stunning as ever. Now step aside I have business to attend to with Salsir" Turles huffed.

"Turles, As handsome and arrogant as always. Do you think you can just dismiss me? First you steal from me then you replace me with that trollop and her grass colored hair!" Raychalla hissed.

"I stole the ship true enough but I _never_ replaced you with the Kabochan female" the dark-skinned Saiyan announced.

The angry female's expression softened "So I'm still the one who..."

Turles interuppted her before she could finish "_ONE_? Ah, Now I see. You had the notion that you were the only female I kept company with. I never said I was exclusively with you and YOU NEVER ASKED!"

WHAT?" Raychalla screeched.

A devilish grin appeared on the Saiyan male's face. Now he knew just how to bait her.

"Well let's see, there's Kalana and Markelaysa. Anadora from the Tricors system, Artana and Lalisha. There's also Kerlia, Tazinora and Anglis from Deznicos..."

The pirate royal's face was almost as white as her lustrous mane. Some of the Saiyan pirate's relationships had soured with several of the females he had listed and others he had simply lost interest in but he wasn't about to let Raychalla know that.

"I surely can't forget Trilel and Ankosha..."

"TURLES!" Raychalla shrieked.

"I wasn't ignoring you it's just that my list is a bit extensive. Keeping the right woman's name with the right planet is somewhat of a challenge when there are _so many_" Turles quipped.

"YOU MONSTER!" Raychalla screamed..

"Don't forget demon and fiend from Hell. I've been called more things than I can keep up with." the pirate commander chuckled.

"Stop mocking me!" the ivory-haired female snarled as she slashed out with her blade.

Turles easily sidestepped her attack. He nipped at her left ear as she passed infuriating her even further. As the queen tried to strike again, the Saiyan phased in behind her and kissed the back of her neck. He fended off every blow she attempted. His taunting laughter followed her every failed action.

The ruler of Quarshim was so livid that her attacks were fueled by pure rage making her careless. Raychalla missed the lightning-fast move that disarmed her. Her eyes bulged as she felt Turles's hand encircle her neck. Her sight began to grow dim. Surely he wouldn't take her life_. Would he_?

Raychalla felt something being pressed into her hands and the brush of the Saiyan's lips against her right cheek. Then all she could see was darkness...

Daiz swallowed hard as he saw the snow-haired pirate queen slip to the spaceport floor. If Turles had killed _her_ what chance did the rest of them have if they incurred his wrath? And to make matters worse, he still hadn't found Gohan.

…

Marpas rushed into the room to warn Salsir of the Saiyan's presence "Master Salsir, Turles is here! I believe he killed the pirate queen!"

" Excellent! I'll deal with that arrogant ape and then…" Salsir began.

"If the queen's dead we won't get our reward!" Garban howled.

An evil smile lit the Sarhassan's face "I have a _reward_ for you, Garban."

Marpas watched in horror as the serpent being sank his fangs into his fellow bounty hunter's left shoulder.

The huge blue-skinned reptile in green armor fell to the floor. His screams echoed through the room as the poison from Salsir's bite coursed through his great form. Within seconds Garban breathed his last.

Salsir turned to Marpas with a malicious grin.

"No, Master Salsir! This isn't fair! I've done all you asked I don't deserve…" the bounty hunter's words faded as the snake-ling blew him away with a single ki blast.

While Salsir was disposing of his associates, Turles and Daiz had found Zailora.

"S-Sorry I failed you, C-Commander" the Kabochan female rasped.

"You didn't fail me" Turles replied.

An angry growl came from the Saiyan as he observed the woman's injuries. Her  
angry-looking puffy right arm gave evidence that Salsir had used his vile venom as well.

The Saiyan pulled a piece of spiky-looking pale fruit from a pouch at his waist. He gently lifted the female's chin and squeezed several drops of the juice into her mouth.

"That will strengthen you and will help your system fight the poison. Daiz, take Zailora back to the ship and put her into the tank immediately!" Turles ordered.

"But Master Turles…"

"_NOW, DAIZ!"_ the pirate commander barked.

"Commander, I believe Gohan followed you here!" Daiz spoke up quickly.

Turles let out a string of curses " I'll deal with Salsir and the brat! Get Zailora to the ship NOW!"

Daiz quickly followed his order and scooped up the dark green-haired female as gently as he could. He breathed a silent prayer that Turles and Gohan would survive an encounter with the Sarhassan as he rushed back to Turles's ship.

…..

"Now you face ME, Saiyan!" Salsir cackled.

"I wasn't impressed the _last_ time" Turles snorted.

"Let me have the boy and we won't have to resort to this" the serpentine life-form offered.

"The brat is MY responsibility" the pirate commander snapped.

"Puh! Your misguided sense of Saiyan honor I suppose?" Salsir taunted.

"What would _you_ know of honor?' Turles huffed.

"The honor of my people! My race has guarded its purity for eons! Never have we allowed our blood to be diluted by another race!" Salsir hissed.

"Of course they haven't! Who but another of your hideous race would even bother to mate with something as ugly as your kind?" the Saiyan pirate mocked.

Salsir slammed into the Saiyan but Turles held his ground. The Sarhassan was somehow stronger than before….

…

Gartoas gaped in surprise as Daiz rushed into the ship carrying the limp beaten form of Zailora.

"Never send a woman ta do a man's work!" the Kardanagan mumbled.

"Shut up, Gartoas!" Daiz growled as he readied the tank and slipped Zailora into it.

"I've got to go back! Turles and Gohan might get themselves killed with that monster!"

"Ah'll keep an eye on tha wench. Do what ya have ta" Gartoas sighed.

"Thanks!" the former prince called out as he headed back to the spaceport.

…

Gohan had hidden behind a pillar supporting the spaceport's roof and watched as Daiz carried Zailora away to safety. His little fists balled up in anger. How dare those monsters hurt Zailora? He watched worriedly as Turles fought the Sarhassan. There was something different about Salsir he just couldn't put his finger on it. The demi-Saiyan was so intent on the battle before him that he didn't see the flash of brilliant red and yellow that followed him.

"I understand that Saiyans have the ability to transform into some kind of beast" Salsir simpered.

"So?" Turles growled as he blocked a savage bow to his face.

"_Allow me to show you my own transformation_!" Salsir announced.

Turles's eyes went wide and Gohan gasped in absolute horror as Salsir's form began to change and grow…

In the place of the Sarhassan stood a monstrous red and green hooded serpent whose giant fangs glittered with dripping poison. Turles hadn't counted on _this_!...

….

So what did you think? Please let me know!

knew was darkness...


	32. A Lesson Learned

Here's Chapter 32! Thanks to Red Chimera, Guest, Ali, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, icewolf, Gohandominates, Hoshi124, firelifeblizarrd and Person34 for all the reviews on chapter 31.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters, Akira Toriyama does!

…

Raychalla slowly opened her eyes and found that she was lying on the cold stone floor of the abandoned spaceport that Salsir had chosen to lure Turles to.

"_He DIDN'T kill me? Even so, how dare Turles just manhandle me like that? All those years between us and…_ "the ivory-haired queen stopped her complaining as she noticed something hard and cool resting in her hands.

The pirate monarch remembered that the dark-skinned Saiyan had pushed something into her hands just before pressing the nerve in her neck that sent her slipping unconscious to the floor. After getting to her feet, Raychalla examined the item that Turles had given her. Her eyes went wide and she gasped in utter disbelief.

A perfect Arkalazian sapphire rested in her hand! The precious gem would pay for Turles's ship three times over and still leave a tidy sum of zeni. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"T-Turles planned t-to pay me after all and I sent that monster after him. B-But then he has _that woman_! Turles has NEVER allowed a female on his crew….EVER!"

Raychalla could hear the sounds of apparent combat coming from a short distance away.

"Turles STILL betrayed me. Whatever hand fate deals out to him so be it then!" the pirate queen huffed.

It was time to collect a payment far overdue, Raychalla smiled as she looked over the glittering jewel in her right hand. She was almost tempted to keep the deep blue exquisitely cut gem. Almost.

'_The jewel merchants on planet Athigos will be ecstatic when they see my lovely treasure! I'll be able to name my price_' the snow-haired female mused.

With that thought in mind, the queen dismissed Turles from her thoughts. After all, there was a fortune to be made…..

…

Turles's jaw dropped in amazement at the sight of Salsir's transformation. The monstrous red and green serpent could probably crush him with a single swipe of its tail. Its enormous mouth opened exposing hundreds of dagger-like teeth dripping with sickly green venom.

The dark-skinned Saiyan leapt out of the way as the great tail slammed into the floor missing him by a few inches.

"Why postpone the inevitable? You DIE this day Turles!" Salsir hissed.

'_Great he's capable of speech__** and**__ he can control his actions'_ Turles thought to himself.

"Dying's NOT on my to do list for today!" the pirate commander declared.

"DON'T MOCK ME YOU FILTHY APE!" the Sarhassan roared.

A series of handsprings took the Saiyan out of harm's way momentarily but he knew he would tire eventually.

Again and again the serpent's great tail thrashed about trying to crush the Saiyan pirate.

Turles reached at his waist pouch for the last piece of the Fruit from the Tree Of Might. He cursed aloud as the reptilian nightmare smacked it from his grasp. Only a sticky puddle of juice remained from the strength-inducing morsel.

"Were you depending on an increase in strength? Such a pity!" Salsir cackled.

The furious Saiyan slammed his fist into the great serpent. It was hitting a metal wall!

Cruel laughter rang out from the serpentine being.

"Your poor Simian strength is nothing compared to the might of my transformation!" Salsir taunted.

Turles fought the urge to rub his throbbing fist. This didn't look good at all…

….

"Artruay, If I explained to this 'Turles' fellow that his mother is searching for him…" Bulma began.

"Bulma, I seriously doubt he would even care" Artruay interrupted.

"He would _intentionally_ keep a child from his own mother?" ChiChi huffed indignantly.

"He has destroyed entire civilizations, entire planets, ChiChI. Do you think a single child is going to be of any importance to him?" the gray reptilian being scoffed.

"E-Entire p-planets?" the Ox-King's daughter squeaked.

Artruay nodded with a deep sigh " If your son has gained favor with the likes of Turles, then I can only surmise that he is willingly doing the Saiyan's bidding."

"NO! NOT MY GOHAN! He'd NEVER hurt anyone!" the brunette female of Earth protested.

"I don't know, ChiChi. When it comes to survival, people have been known to behave in ways they normally couldn't begin to conceive" the aqua-haired scientist added.

"MY SON IS NOT A MURDERER!" ChiChi bellowed.

"I would advise _you_ to keep a distance from Turles, my dear Bulma" Artruay advised. "He has a penchant for very attractive women."

"Okay..Oh! That was a very lovely compliment, Artruay!" Bulma gushed.

"HMPH! I'M prettier than HER!" ChChi snorted.

"WHAT? I'M FAR PRETTIER THAN YOU!" the former heiress of Capsule Corps shot back.

"Ladies, I _just_ remembered I have an appointment …." Artruay announced as he rushed out of the room….

…..

Later that evening Bulma sympathetically patted a weeping ChiChi's shoulder.

"MY BABY'S GOING TO BE A** MURDERER**! MY POOR CORRUPTED GOHAN! WHY? WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?" ChiChi moaned.

…

Turles fired a ki blast but it ricocheted off the armor-like hide of the great serpent he fought. He had to dodge his own blast.

'What the Hell am I supposed to do?" the Saiyan raged.

At that moment Daiz appeared and fired off a ki blast that did nothing to injure the scaly beast. The Kabochan prince was rewarded for his efforts by being dealt a severe blow from Salsir's tail. He fell to the floor motionless with a rivulet of blood beginning to seep across the floor.

'_DAIZ! He has to be alright! He just HAS to be_!' Gohan thought from his place of concealment. He began to feel very afraid.

Turles managed to inflict a serious wound to the Sarhassan with the next technique he employed –a fiery ring of ki, his signature _Kill Driver_.

"You'll PAY for that, Saiyan!" the Sarhassan snarled.

The Saiyan pirate phased in behind Salsir and prepared to fire a blast at the base of the snake-ling's hood. In a lightning fast move the great serpent had Turles ensnared in its massive coils. With a malicious laugh, the reptilian monstrosity began to squeeze the Saiyan warrior unmercifully.

"Now it's time for you to perish Saiyan!" Salsir chortled.

Turles grimaced as the tremendous pressure began to crush his armor.

"What? No witty comeback? Let me guess. Are you too busy..TRYING TO BREATHE?" the hellish creature mocked the Saiyan in its grip.

"It would be so easy to crush you like the insignificant insect you are. But I'll dispose of the brat first and allow you the privilege of watching me do so. Yessss! I know he is here!" Salsir declared.

The evil Sarhassan had immediately picked up Gohan's scent. He could hardly wait to hear the half-breed's dying screams.

"Get out of here Brat! THAT'S AN ORDER, GOHAN!" Turles shouted.

"SILENCE!" Salsir roared as he gave the pirate a particularly viscous squeeze.

The former leader of the Crusher Corps could feel the bones in his ribcage began to give way….

…..

Gartoas snapped awake as the alarm signifying the end of treatment went off on the rejuvenation tank aboard Turles's ship.

'_Just blasted great! Ahm stuck alone with tha wench!" _the Kardangan grumbled.

He'd fervently hoped that the remainder of the crew would have returned before the completion of her treatment. With a sigh of disgust he went to open the door to the tank.

Zailora pounded furiously on the glass door of the tank. The Kabochan female ripped off her face mask and practically ran over the bearded pirate as she exited the tank. Next she fairly flew down the hall.

"Ya crazy wench! Get outta there! Ya got no business bein' in Master Turles's room!" Gartoas bellowed.

"How dare ya? Get yer hands outta tha commander's things!" the Kardanagan barked.

He grabbed her left arm and proceeded to pull her out of the Saiyan commander's private quarters. A well-placed kick from the female pirate sent the massive male to his knees.

"YA WITCH!" Gartoas groaned loudly.

Zailora gave him a smirk as she tore off with an armload of the Fruit from the Tree Of Might….

…..

"_GET OUT OF HERE GOHAN_!" Turles shouted again.

Salsir slammed the Saiyan into the wall head-first dazing the now injured pirate. He unceremoniously dropped the Saiyan full-blood to the hard floor and began his hunt for the little demi-Saiyan. Turles sucked in his breath painfully and tried to stand. A great blow from the serpent's tail took him off his feet.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Gohan roared as he left his hiding place and floated just over the vile serpent.

"AH! The little vermin finally shows himself!" Salsir declared with amusement.

"_Damned brat can't follow orders_!"Turles growled

The Earth-raised Saiyan-halfling would be killed by the Sarhassan demon and Turles found that he actually felt regret at the thought.

His energy completely spent, Turles watched helplessly as it was now the seven-year-old's turn to try to evade Salsir's treacherous coils and venomous fangs.

Gohan was actually managing to stay just a step ahead of Salsir, much to the Sarhassan's fury.

"Be still and accept your fate! There's no escape for you!" the red and green gigantic serpent hissed.

The little-half-blood tried what should have been a devastating punch. It merely glanced off the great beast he fought leaving his right hand bruised and bleeding. A ki blast fired by the youngster ricocheted and it struck the boy instead.

Salsir's evil laughter rang out "You are finished! Despicable mixed-blood! Nowww shall I slowly crush you to death or watch you writhe in agony in your last moments of life as my venom courses through your veins? Which one? Which one will it be?"

"I can't decide! I suppose I'll have to DO BOTH!" Salsir snickered as he advanced on the unfortunate youth.

Gohan desperately wondered what to do then HE KNEW!

A white shimmering sphere of energy appeared in the young demi-Saiyan's hand.

'_NO! He's not ready_! 'Turles thought.

Gohan swung his arm back and cried out "Moon Blast explode!"

The shimmering sphere flew up into the air and burst forming a sizable ball of light.

"And just what do you hope to accomplish by…"Salsir never completed his statement as Gohan's eyes began to glow red…

…

As Raychalla had predicted, the jewel merchants of planet Athigos were absolutely entranced by the flawless rare sapphire she presented to them.

One of the Athigosian Merchant's Guild associates clapped his hands in delight as he viewed the exquisite gem "This gem is virtually priceless! A rare find indeed! And such perfect facets, a master's work! The stone-cutter was an absolute genius! I shall have its value tallied up in short order!" The slim blue-skinned green haired humanoid hurried off.

Raychalla sat in a comfortable chair in the seller's waiting area. Now all she had to do was collect her profits from the sapphire's sale.

Moments later,the slim humanoid blue skinned green-haired associate of the Athigosian Merchant's Guild came out to speak with her. His formerly bright smile was no longer in place, a deep frown darkened his countenance.

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid that we cannot finance the sale of the Arkalazian sapphire" the guild member declared.

"And why ever not? You assured me that it was perfect , an extremely valuable rare find!" Raychalla protested.

"Your Majesty, you shall have to alert the source of where you procured the "gem' you brought to us _that it is a fake!_ An absolutely stunning _imitation gemstone, it must have taken a Master craftsman to create it!"_

Raychalla balled up her fists in absolute fury. _TURLES!_ The Saiyan pirate had purposely gifted her with a jewel that was absolutely worthless! He _deserved _his fate for this cruel deception!

…

A great roar echoed through the abandoned spaceport as Gohan completed his transformation into an Oozaru. Salsir was in stunned silence for a moment then he burst into laughter.

"Am I supposed to tremble in fear now? I know full well that the boy does not have the maturity to have control over his transformation. He's liable to crush you and Daiz before he even focuses on me!" Salsir chuckled evilly.

"THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE WRONG, SALSIR!" the Great Ape snarled suddenly.

"This is impossible!" the Sarhassan screeched as the great simian slammed its mighty fists into him.

Blow after blow struck the now horrified serpent being. He could very well be slain by the over-sized ape!

'_The brat can speak and control his actions. He truly took my lessons to heart_' Turles realized. He couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.

Salsir was near panic. Suddenly he whirled about and bit down deep into the Great Ape's left shoulder. Surely his deadly venom would bring down the half-Saiyan!

Gohan grunted for a moment and then continued pummeling the Sarhassan causing numerous injuries.

"That light! Why didn't I think of it before? He draws his power from that artificial light!" Salsir mumbled to himself.

The Sarhassan fired off a mouth blast that obliterated Gohan's artificial moon.

As Gohan reverted back to his original form, he felt a horrible pain searing through his body. He bit back a scream and fought to stay on his feet.

Salsir could no longer contain his own transformation as he was totally exhausted. But he was sure he could summon up enough energy to dispose of the vile half-breed.

At that very moment, Zailora appeared in front of Turles holding out pieces of the Fruit to him.

"You've been in my quarters Woman! " Turles scolded but he seemed to be amused by the idea.

Turles rose to his feet after consuming several of the Fruit and he headed for the two combatants.

Gohan fell to the floor moaning in agony. His body began to thrash about as the venom caused his muscles to spasm.

"This is the moment of your death, whelp!" Salsir declared.

"_No, It's yours_!" a chilling voice stated.

The Sarhassan looked down in shock at the black-gauntleted fist of Turles that protruded from his chest.

Salsir fell to the floor. Turles tossed the snake-being its own heart "I believe this is yours!"

A quick ki blast obliterated the Sarhassan.

Daiz was slowly getting to his feet. Zailora had given the former prince some of the Fruit as well.

Gartoas was kneeling next to the little demi-Saiyan , his expression looked grave.

Blood was pouring from two massive holes in the seven-year-old's left shoulder. His eyes were glassy and his body was wracked with continuous spasms. Saliva ran from the child's mouth.

"Master Turles, Tha boy might be done fer!"

"Like Hell he is! He's a Saiyan! We're taking him to the Mertosan healing station!" Turles barked.

The Kardangan knew better than to argue. He scooped the boy up as gently as he could after Turles had dripped some of the Fruit's juice into the youngster's mouth. Hopefully it would slow the venom.

"Hang on, Squirt! _HANG ON_!" Daiz called out.

….

It had been several hours since Turles and his crew had arrived at the Mertosan healing station.

Turles had finally allowed his own injuries to be treated after Gohan was rushed to the care of the medics. And this was only after Zailora had repeatedly berated him for not doing so when they first arrived.

"We sassed 'im like that we'd be dead men!" Gartoas huffed.

"Yep!" Daiz agreed. Somehow the feisty Kabochan female had gotten her way. Again.

Turles kept his eyes on the door leading from the waiting area to the medical wing.

Finally the door swung open, a short-statured yellow feline medic walked towards Turles and his crew. His head was bowed and he gave a great sigh before announcing "I'M SORRY. I TRULY AM!"

Zailora stifled a sob and buried her face into Daiz's shoulder. The dark green-haired male shook his head in disbelief.

'_Sorry,Squirt!' _he thought.

Gartoas gave a great sigh but Turles seemed frozen unable to react for a moment. His crew heard him take a great breath.

"The boy has expired then?" the pirate commander questioned.

The pirate crew snapped their heads up they hadn't missed the catch in the Saiyan's voice.

The medic shook his head "Not yet, but he most assuredly will. His body is somehow fighting the venom but he has lost _so much blood_! We have nothing that matches his unique type. His body rejected the synthetic forms we've tried…"

"The boy is half-Saiyan! _I am a Saiyan_. Could _MY_ blood save him?" Turles offered.

A smile lit the yellow feline's face "It might! IT VERY WELL MIGHT!"

Turles's crew were speechless as their commander rushed into the medical wing with the medic.

…..

Gohan awoke with a throbbing head. It seemed as if he were in some sort of hospital…

He could sense someone else in the room the little half-blood looked up to see Turles standing over him. _The dark-skinned Saiyan was smiling_!...

...

So what did you think? Please let me know!

A/N: I took the 'Moon Blast' from the "Tree Of Might" as Turles uses that name for the powerball that transforms Gohan. Being trained by Turles, Gohan would use his term for the technique.


End file.
